Controlling an air conditioner over a network

• US 10,067,640 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wan, Jasmine
• Application Number:
  US14/541,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20150143249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• 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 of controlling an information apparatus, the information apparatus having a touch-panel display and being 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 showing a floor plan of a building on the touch-panel display, the floor plan having a first room region having an area greater than a predetermined area and representing a first room and a second room region having an area less than or equal to the predetermined area and representing a second room;

display in the first room region of the floor plan on the display screen, a first air-conditioner icon representing a first air conditioner for the first room as one of the target devices;

display in the second room region of the floor plan on the display screen, a second air-conditioner icon representing a second air conditioner for the second room as another of the target devices;

detect a first room selection input when a user contacts the first air conditioner icon in the first room region, and display an indicator of the first room'"'"'s temperature and change the first room region to an adjustment region for adjusting the temperature of the first air conditioner in response to detecting the first room selection input;

detect a first adjustment input for adjusting a set temperature of the first air conditioner, after detecting the first room selection input, when the user contacts the display in the first room region that was changed to the adjustment region, and

in response to detecting the first adjustment input,

the temperature on the indicator changes,

a first control command for changing the set temperature of the first air conditioner is transmitted to the network in accordance with a movement amount of the contact, and

the first air conditioner receives the first control command over the network and changes the set temperature of the first air conditioner;

detect a second room selection input when the user contacts the second air conditioner icon in the second room region, and display a separate adjustment screen, with temperature setting controls, spaced from and not overlapping the second room region, to receive an input for adjusting a set temperature of the second air conditioner in response to detecting the second room selection input;

detect a second adjustment input for adjusting the set temperature of the second air conditioner, after detecting the second room selection input, when the user contacts the temperature setting controls of the separate adjustment screen, and

in response to detecting the second adjustment input,

a second control command for changing the set temperature of the second air conditioner is transmitted to the network in accordance with a movement amount of the contact, and

the second air conditioner receives the second control command over the network and changes the set temperature of the second air conditioner.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the adjustment screen is displayed in an enlarged view.

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 a case where a movement starting point of the contact is within a range of the adjustment screen, and a movement ending point of the contact is beyond the adjustment screen, a control command for changing the set temperature of the second 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 a case where the contact moves beyond the adjustment screen, the set temperature of the second 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 first air conditioner that is changed is proportional to the movement amount of the contact.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein

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

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein

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

9. A method of controlling an information apparatus, the information apparatus having a touch-panel display and being 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 showing a floor plan of a building on the touch-panel display, the floor plan having a first room region having an area greater than a predetermined area and representing a first room and a second room region having an area less than or equal to the predetermined area and representing a second room;

display in the first room region of the floor plan on the display screen, a first air-conditioner icon representing a first air conditioner for the first room as one of the target devices;

display in the second room region of the floor plan on the display screen, a second air-conditioner icon representing a second air conditioner for the second room as another of the target devices;

detect a first room selection input when a user contacts the first air conditioner icon in the first room region, and display an indicator of the first room'"'"'s temperature in response to detecting the first room selection input;

detect a first adjustment input for adjusting a set temperature of the first air conditioner, after detecting the first room selection input, when the user contacts the display in the first room region which comprises an adjustment region for adjusting the set temperature of the first air conditioner, and

in response to detecting the first adjustment input,

the temperature on the indicator changes,

a first control command for changing the set temperature of the first air conditioner is transmitted to the network in accordance with a movement direction of the contact, and

the first air conditioner receives the first control command over the network and changes the set temperature of the first air conditioner;

detect a second room selection input when the user contacts the second air conditioner icon in the second room region, and display a separate adjustment screen, with temperature setting controls, spaced from and not overlapping the second room region, to receive an input for adjusting a set temperature of the second air conditioner in response to detecting the second room selection input;

detect a second adjustment input for adjusting the set temperature of the second air conditioner, after detecting the second room selection input, when the user contacts the temperature setting controls of the separate adjustment screen, and

in response to detecting the second adjustment input,

a second control command for changing the set temperature of the second air conditioner is transmitted to the network in accordance with a movement direction amount of the contact, and

the second air conditioner receives the second control command over the network and changes its set temperature of the second air conditioner.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the adjustment screen is displayed in an enlarged view.

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 a case where a movement starting point of the contact is within a range of the adjustment screen, and a movement ending point of the contact is beyond the adjustment screen, a control command for changing the set temperature of the second 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 a case where the contact moves beyond the adjustment screen, the set temperature of the second 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 a case where the contact moves upward on the display screen, the set temperature of the second air conditioner is increased, and in the case where the contact moves downward on the display screen, the set temperature of the second air conditioner is decreased.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein

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

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein

in a case where the contact moves beyond the adjustment region, the set temperature of the second air conditioner is not changed in accordance with an extra movement distance beyond the adjustment region.

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 being 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 showing a floor plan of a building on the touch-panel display, the floor plan having a first room region having an area greater than a predetermined area and representing a first room and a second room region having an area less than or equal to the predetermined area and representing a second room;

display in the first room region of the floor plan on the display screen, a first air-conditioner icon representing a first air conditioner for the first room as one of the target devices,

display in the second room region of the floor plan on the display screen, a second air-conditioner icon representing a second air conditioner for the second room as another of the target devices;

detect a first room selection input when a user contacts the first air conditioner icon in the first room region, and display an indicator of the first room'"'"'s temperature and change the first room region to an adjustment region for adjusting the temperature of the first air conditioner in response to detecting the first room selection input;

detect a first adjustment input for adjusting a set temperature of the first air conditioner, after detecting the first room selection input, when the user contacts the display in the first room region that was changed to the adjustment region, and

in response to detecting the first adjustment input,

the temperature on the indicator changes,

a first control command for changing the set temperature of the first air conditioner is transmitted to the network in accordance with a movement amount of the contact, and

the first air conditioner receives the first control command over the network and changes the set temperature of the first air conditioner;

detect a second room selection input when the user contacts the second air conditioner icon in the second room region, and display a separate adjustment screen, with temperature setting controls, spaced from and not overlapping the second room region, to receive an input for adjusting a set temperature of the second air conditioner in response to detecting the second room selection input;

detect a second adjustment input for adjusting the set temperature of the second air conditioner, after detecting the second room selection input, when the user contacts the temperature setting controls of the separate adjustment screen, and

in response to detecting the second adjustment input,

a second control command for changing the set temperature of the second air conditioner is transmitted to the network in accordance with a movement amount of the contact, and

the second air conditioner receives the second control command over the network and changes the set temperature of the second air conditioner.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which stores a program that is executed by an information apparatus having a touch-panel display and being 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 showing a floor plan of a building on the touch-panel display, the floor plan having a first room region having an area greater than a predetermined area and representing a first room and a second room region having an area less than or equal to the predetermined area and representing a second room;

display in the first room region of the floor plan on the display screen, a first air-conditioner icon representing a first air conditioner for the first room as one of the target devices;

display in the second room region of the floor plan on the display screen, a second air-conditioner icon representing a second air conditioner for the second room as another of the target devices;

detect a first room selection input when a user contacts the first air conditioner icon in the first room region, and display an indicator of the first room'"'"'s temperature in response to detecting the first room selection input;

detect a first adjustment input for adjusting a set temperature of the first air conditioner, after detecting the first room selection input, when the user contacts the display in the first room region, and

in response to detecting the first adjustment input,

the temperature on the indicator changes,

a first control command for changing the set temperature of the first air conditioner is transmitted to the network in accordance with a movement direction of the contact, and

the first air conditioner receives the first control command over the network and changes the set temperature of the first air conditioner;

detect a second room selection input when the user contacts the second air conditioner icon in the second room region, and display a separate adjustment screen, with temperature setting controls, spaced from and not overlapping the second room region, to receive an input for adjusting a set temperature of the second air conditioner in response to detecting the second room selection input;

detect a second adjustment input for adjusting the set temperature of the second air conditioner, after detecting the second room selection input, when the user contacts the temperature setting controls of the separate adjustment screen, and

in response to detecting the second adjustment input,

a second control command for changing the set temperature of the second air conditioner is transmitted to the network in accordance with a movement direction amount of the contact, and

the second air conditioner receives the second control command over the network and changes the set temperature of the second air conditioner.