Home electronics system enabling display of state of controlled devices in various manners

• US 6,844,807 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.), Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Technology Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohashi, Shinichiro, Inoue, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US09/782,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20010030597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.1, 340/3.7, 340/3.71, 340/3.51, 340/3.53, 340/3.21, 340/825.49, 340/825.72, 700/83, 700/276, 700/9, 455/403
• US Class Current: 340/3.7
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

A home electronics system enabling rapid execution of remote control of controlled devices includes a home server, a cellular phone connected to the home server via a public line network, and devices to be controlled controlled in response to a signal from the home server. When the user selects via cellular phone an area, a state or a type of the devices to, the home server creates an image of the current state information showing the state of the devices for transmitting to the cellular phone.

Claims

1. A home electronics system, comprising:

a control terminal device having a display function;

a home server configured to be in signal communication with said control terminal device via a communication network; and

a target device coupled to said home server for operating in response to a control signal;

said control terminal device including

a retrieval condition transmitting unit for transmitting a retrieval condition for said target device,

a display for displaying a state of said target device in response to data received from said home server, and

a control signal transmitting unit for transmitting a control signal controlling said target device after displaying the state of the target device on the display;

said home server including

a state transmitting unit configured to create data indicating the state of said target device matching with said retrieval condition received from the control terminal device for transmitting to said control terminal device, and

a device controlling unit for controlling said target device based on the control signal received from said control signal transmitting unit.

2. The home electronics system according to claim 1, wherein:

said retrieval condition transmitting unit transmits a selection signal designating the target device; and

said state transmitting unit creates data indicating the state of said target device matching with the selection signal for transmitting to said control terminal device.

3. The home electronics system according to claim 1, wherein:

said retrieval condition transmitting unit transmits a state condition of the target device; and

said state transmitting unit creates data indicating said target device matching with said received state condition, for transmitting to said control terminal device.

4. The home electronics system according to claim 1, wherein:

said retrieval condition transmitting unit transmits a condition of an area where said target device is installed; and

said state transmitting unit creates data indicating the state of said target device in an area matching with said retrieval condition for transmitting to said control terminal device.

5. The home electronics system according to claim 1, wherein:

said home server further includes an icon memory unit for storing an icon of the target device; and

said state transmitting unit creates data including the icon and the state of the target device matching with said retrieval condition for transmitting to said control terminal device.

6. The home electronics system according to claim 1, wherein:

said control terminal device further includes a format-transmitting unit for transmitting a format of data received by said display; and

said state transmitting unit receives said format from said format-transmitting unit to transmit data in compliance with said format to said control terminal device.

7. The home electronics system according to claim 1, wherein:

said control terminal device further includes a resolution transmitting unit for transmitting data including a resolution of said display; and

said state transmitting unit creates data having said resolution for transmitting to said control terminal device.

8. A home server for use with a control terminal device having a display function and a target device coupled to the home server and operating in response to a control signal issued by the control terminal device, the home server comprising:

a state transmitting unit configured to be in signal communication with said control terminal device to create data indicating a state of said target device matching a retrieval condition received from said control terminal device, for transmitting to said control terminal device, and

a device controlling unit for controlling said target device in response to the control signal received from said control terminal device;

wherein the control signal is received from the control terminal device after the data indicating the state of the target device is transmitted to the control terminal device.

9. The home server according to claim 8, wherein said state transmitting unit creates data indicating a state of said target device matching with a selection signal designating said target device transmitted by said control terminal device, for transmitting to said control terminal device.

10. The home server according to claim 8, wherein said state transmitting unit creates data indicating a state of said target device matching with a state condition of said target device received from said control terminal device.

11. The home server according to claim 8, wherein said state transmitting unit creates data indicating a state of said target device in an area matching with an area condition received from said control terminal device for transmitting to said control terminal device.

12. The home server according to claim 8, further comprising an icon memory unit for storing an icon of the target device,

wherein said state transmitting unit creates data including the icon and a state of said target device matching with said retrieval condition.

13. The home server according to claim 8, wherein:

said state transmitting unit, based on a signal received from the control terminal device indicating a format transmits data in compliance with the format to said control terminal device.

14. The home server according to claim 8, wherein:

said state transmitting unit, based on a signal indicating a resolution from said control terminal device, creates data having the resolution for transmitting to said control terminal device.

15. A computer readable recording medium, in which a program for controlling a computer to perform functions as a home server is recorded, said home server being used in a home electronics system including a control terminal device having a display function, and a target device coupled to said home server for operating in response to a control signal;

said home server being configured to be in signal communication with said control terminal device via a communication network, wherein the program controls the computer to perform the sequential steps of;

creating data indicating a state of said target device matching a retrieval condition received from said control terminal device;

transmitting the data indicating the state of the target device to said control terminal device,

receiving a control signal from the control terminal device; and

controlling said target device in response to the control signal received from said control terminal device.

16. The computer readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein:

said computer creates data indicating a state of said target device matching with a selection signal designating said target device transmitted by said control terminal device.

17. The computer readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein said computer creates data indicating a state of said target device matching with a state condition of said target device received from said control terminal device.

18. The computer readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein said computer creates data indicating a state of said target device in an area matching with an area condition received from said control terminal device.

19. The computer readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein said computer, based on a signal indicating a format of said control terminal device, transmits data in compliance with the format to said control terminal device.

20. The computer readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein said computer, based on a signal indicating resolution of said control terminal device, creates data having the resolution for transmitting to said control terminal device.