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

• US 20010030597A1
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Published: 10/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.), Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubushi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Inoue, Yoshio, Ohashi, Shinichiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,844,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 connected to said control terminal device via a communication network; and

a target device connected 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 connected to said home server 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;

said home server including

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

a device controlling unit connected to said control signal transmitting unit and said controlled device for controlling said target device in response to 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 type condition of the target device; and

said condition transmitting unit creates data indicating the state of said target device matching with said type received condition, 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 condition 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 existing in an area matching with said received area 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 condition 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 a resolution of data displayed on said display; and

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

8. A home server connected to a control terminal device having a display function as well as to a target device operating in response to a control signal, comprising:

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

a device controlling unit connected to said control terminal device and said target device for controlling said target device in response to the signal received from said 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 type condition of 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 existing 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 receives a signal indicating a format from said control terminal device to transmit data in compliance with the format to said control terminal device.

14. The home server according to

claim 8

, wherein:

said state transmitting unit receives a signal indicating a resolution from said control terminal device to create data having the resolution for transmitting to said control terminal device.

15. A computer readable recording medium, in which a program for a computer to perform as a home server is recorded, wherein:

said home server is used in a home electronics system including a control terminal device having a display function, a home server connected to said control terminal device via a communication network, and a target device connected to said home server for operating in response to a control signal; and

said home server including

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

a device controlling unit connected to said control terminal device and said target device for controlling said target device in response to a control signal received from said control terminal device.

16. The computer readable recording medium according to

claim 15

, wherein:

said state transmitting unit creates data indicating a state of said target device matching with a type condition of said target device transmitted by said control terminal device.

17. The computer readable recording medium according to

claim 15

, 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.

18. The computer readable recording medium according to

claim 15

, wherein said state transmitting unit creates data indicating a state of said target device existing 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 state transmitting unit receives a signal indicating a format from said control terminal device for transmitting data in compliance with the format to said control terminal device.

20. The computer readable recording medium according to

claim 15

, wherein said state transmitting unit receives a signal indicating resolution from said control terminal device to create data having the resolution for transmitting to said control terminal device.