Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Generic control system – apparatus or process – Sequential or selective
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-09
2001-11-06
Gordon, Paul P. (Department: 2121)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Generic control system, apparatus or process
Sequential or selective
C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314326
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In general, the present invention relates to an electronic equipment control apparatus, an electronic equipment control method and an electronic equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic equipment control apparatus, an electronic equipment control method and an electronic equipment which improve operability of the electronic equipment control apparatus by requiring no operation to install software for controlling the electronic equipment in the case of a plurality of pieces of such electronic equipment connected to each other and to the electronic equipment control apparatus by communication lines.
In recent years, the personal computer has been becoming popular and is used not only at work places, but also at homes. At many homes, the so-called AV (Audio Visual) equipment such as a television receiver, a cassette deck and a video disk player are also used as well in addition to the personal computer. In such a case, the personal computer is connected to each piece of AV equipment by a home bus, making it possible to control the AV equipment centrally from the personal computer.
As a result, there are more and more cases in which the personal computer is used as a computer generally called an all-in-one computer.
To put it in detail, as shown in
FIG. 17
, the all-in-one personal computer is configured to have a variety of functions so as to allow the personal computer to be used in a number of applications such as video entertainment, games, multimedia creation, art, graphics, communication and office use.
With a personal computer having an all-in-one configuration as described above, however, there are raised some problems that the configuration becomes complicated and that the cost is increased.
In addition, when the personal computer is connected to newly added AV equipment or a peripheral apparatus, it is necessary to install software or a program for controlling the newly added AV equipment in the personal computer by doing predetermined operations. Thus, the user must have the knowledge to install the software. As a result, there is also raised a problem that a user who does not have such knowledge will not be capable of controlling the newly installed peripheral apparatus from the personal computer.
Furthermore, even a user with the knowledge to install the software must carry out the predetermined operations. Particularly, in the case of a plurality of personal computers connected to a home bus, the predetermined installation operations have to be carried out for each of the personal computers, giving rise to a problem of cumbersome installation work.
On the top of that, even though it is possible to install numerous kinds of software in the personal computer in advance so as to allow the personal computer to be used for controlling a number of external peripheral apparatuses, when the system comprising the personal computer and the peripheral apparatuses is upgraded by sequentially adding new peripheral apparatuses one after another, the versions of the software installed in advance in the personal computer become obsolete, making it no longer possible to control the newly added peripheral apparatuses in some cases. In such a case, it is necessary to install software with most recent versions in the personal computer for the newly added peripheral apparatuses.
In addition, if the software is installed in the personal computer in advance, the maker of the peripheral apparatus is placed under restraint by specifications of the software, giving rise to a problem that it is difficult to build in the originality of the maker of the peripheral apparatus in the peripheral apparatus connected to the personal computer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Addressing the problems described above, it is thus an object of the present invention to provide an electronic equipment control apparatus, an electronic equipment control method and an electronic equipment that require no operations to install software in the electronic equipment control apparatus and allow the manufacturer of peripheral equipment to display the originality thereof.
In order to achieve the object described above, the present invention provides some preferred embodiments implementing electronic equipment control apparatuses and electronic equipment control methods as well as electronic equipment described as follows.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic equipment control apparatus for controlling one or more pieces of external electronic equipment connected to said electronic equipment control apparatus by communication lines, said electronic equipment control apparatus comprising; communication means for communication with said pieces of external electronic equipment through said communication lines; control means for controlling operations to request said pieces of external electronic equipment to transmit user interface information for controlling said pieces of external electronic equipment to said electronic equipment control apparatus; an storage means for storing said user interface information transmitted by said pieces of external electronic equipment through said communication lines.
In addition to the electronic equipment control apparatus described above, there is also provided an electronic equipment control method for controlling one or more pieces of external electronic equipment connected to an electronic equipment control apparatus by communication lines, said electronic equipment control method comprising: a requesting step of requesting said pieces of external electronic equipment to transmit user interface information for controlling said pieces of external electronic equipment to said electronic equipment control apparatus; a receiving step of receiving said user interface information transmitted by said pieces of external electronic equipment through said communication lines; and a storing step of storing said user interface information received from said external electronic equipment.
With the electronic equipment control apparatus and the electronic equipment control method provided by the present invention as described above, electronic equipment external to the electronic equipment control apparatus is requested to transmit user interface information required for controlling the equipment to the electronic equipment control apparatus. The user interface information transmitted in response to the request is then stored in the electronic equipment control apparatus. As a result, it is no longer necessary for the user to manually carry out operations to install the information in the electronic equipment control apparatus, enhancing the operability of the electronic equipment control apparatus. In addition, when new external electronic equipment is put to use, the electronic equipment control apparatus for controlling the electronic equipment is prevented from becoming obsolete only because the apparatus does not have the function for controlling the new electronic equipment.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic equipment connected to an electronic equipment control apparatus by a communication line, said electronic equipment comprising: communication means for carrying out communication with said electronic equipment control apparatus through said communication line; storage means for storing user interface information used for controlling said electronic equipment; and control means which is used for transmitting said user interface information to said electronic equipment control apparatus when a request for transmission of said user interface information is received from said electronic equipment control apparatus.
In addition to the electronic equipment described above, there is also provided an electronic equipment control method for controlling electronic equipment connected to an electronic equipment control apparatus by a communication line, said electronic equipment control method comprising:
a request receiving step of receiving a
Cabrera Zoila
Gordon Paul P.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Sony Corporation
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