Remote controlling method, communication device, and computer-readable storage medium recorded with computer program for performing remote control

• US 9,651,930 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2014
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Toyota, Hiromi, Tsujimura, Satoshi, Kurimoto, Kazunori, Nakatani, Naofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US14/515,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20150039104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23043 Remote and local control panel, programming unit, switch
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23406 Programmer device, portable, handheld detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2613 Household appliance in general
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36552 Inhibiting simultaneous input from local and remote keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

A mobile device is provided with a communication unit which performs communication via wireless communication, a display unit, and a display control unit which controls the display unit to display a setting input screen for allowing the user to input setting of a household electrical device. The communication unit transmits a request signal for checking whether there is a person in the vicinity of the household electrical device before the setting input screen is displayed by the display control unit. The display control unit controls the display unit to display a setting input disable screen indicating that setting of the household electrical device is not received without causing the display unit to display the setting input screen when there is a person in the vicinity of the household electrical device.

Claims

1. A remote controlling method for remote controlling an electrical device using a communication device, comprising:

a receiving step of receiving, from the electrical device, presence/absence information indicating whether there is a person in the vicinity of the electrical device before a first screen for allowing a user to input setting of the electrical device is displayed; and

a providing step of providing a display unit in the communication device with a second screen indicating that input of setting of the electrical device via the communication device by a user is not able to be entered when there is a person in the vicinity of the electrical device, based on the received presence/absence information.

2. The remote controlling method according to claim 1, wherein

in the providing step, the first screen is provided to the display unit when there is no person in the vicinity of the electrical device, based on the received presence/absence information.

3. The remote controlling method according to claim 1, wherein

the presence/absence information is transmitted from the electrical device in response to a signal for requesting the presence/absence information.

4. The remote controlling method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a correcting step of correcting the received presence/absence information in accordance with user identification information for identifying the user using the communication device.

5. A communication device for remote controlling an electrical device, comprising:

a display unit;

a communication unit which receives presence/absence information indicating whether there is a person in the vicinity of the electrical device via wireless communication before a first screen for allowing a user to input setting of the electrical device is displayed on the display unit; and

a control unit which controls the display unit to display a second screen indicating that input of setting of the electrical device via the communication device by a user is not able to be entered when there is a person in the vicinity of the electrical device, based on the received presence/absence information.

6. The communication device according to claim 5, wherein

the control unit controls the display unit to display the first screen when there is no person in the vicinity of the electrical device, based on the received presence/absence information.

7. The communication device according to claim 5, wherein

the presence/absence information is transmitted from the electrical device in response to a signal for requesting the presence/absence information.

8. The communication device according to claim 5, wherein

the communication unit transmits a signal for requesting the presence/absence information, and receives the presence/absence information to be transmitted from the electrical device in response to the signal for requesting the presence/absence information.

9. The communication device according to claim 5, wherein

the presence/absence information to be received by the communication unit is corrected based on user identification information for identifying the user using the communication device.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recorded with a computer program for remote controlling an electrical device using a communication device, the computer program causing a computer to execute:

a receiving step of receiving presence/absence information indicating whether there is a person in the vicinity of the electrical device via wireless communication before a first screen for allowing a user to input setting of the electrical device is displayed on a display unit; and

a controlling step of controlling the display unit to display a second screen indicating that input of setting of the electrical device via the communication device by a user is not able to be entered when there is a person in the vicinity of the electrical device, based on the received presence/absence information.