Abstract:
A communication unit that communicates with the information terminal; an image display unit that forms and displays an image; a control unit that controls the image display unit; a storage unit that stores model data defining a model of web screen information for instructing the control of the image display unit; and a generation unit that generates the web screen information that can be displayed in the information terminal by selecting the model data stored in the storage unit, and configuring, in the model indicated by the model data, an instruction unit for instructing a control item that controls the display unit. The communication unit transmits the web screen information generated by the generation unit to the information terminal, and the control unit controls the control item of the image display unit based on an instruction signal transmitted as a result of specifying the instruction unit of the web screen information displayed in the information terminal.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-290173, filed Dec. 22, 2009 is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to image display apparatuses and control methods. 
         [0004]    2. Related Art 
         [0005]    Thus far, it has been necessary, when operating an information device or the like through a network, for a remote controller that operates the information device to know, in advance, information regarding the information device that is to be operated, such as the communication protocol for sending operation signals, the meaning of the operation signals, the procedures for transmitting the operation signals themselves, operation range information, information regarding procedures for processing feedback signals from the device, and so on. 
         [0006]    In other words, it has been necessary for the remote controller to include an operation application for configuring an interface including layout information that corresponds uniquely to the information device that is to be operated. Accordingly, because operation applications cannot be added to or switched in a simple remote controller, there have been cases where it is necessary to prepare as many remote controllers as there are types of information devices. 
         [0007]    Meanwhile, generic remote controllers that can be used with multiple information devices are in practical use. However, in the case where operation applications are incorporated into such remote controllers in advance, only functions that are shared among manufacturers can be operated. On the other hand, with learning type remote controllers, it is necessary to learn the radio waves that are to be used for communication, and thus configuring such remote controllers has been troublesome. 
         [0008]    Remote operation terminal apparatuses such as that disclosed in JP-A-2007-114888 have been proposed in order to solve this problem. This remote operation terminal apparatus is an apparatus that implements remote operation using a network and the remote operation terminal apparatus realizes a remote controller by collecting information of information devices using a dedicated application and combining that information with a template prepared in advance. 
         [0009]    However, with aforementioned remote operation terminal apparatus, it is necessary to install a dedicated application and provide a function for combining the collected information of the information devices with the pre-prepared template in advance, and thus it has not been possible to cause typical information terminals that do not include such functions to operate as such a remote operation terminal apparatus. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    It is an advantage of some aspects of the invention to provide an information terminal capable of connecting to a network configured to function as a remote controller. Having been conceived in order to solve at least some of the aforementioned problems, the invention can be implemented as the following aspects or application examples. 
       First Application Example 
       [0011]    An image display apparatus according to a first aspect of the invention is an image display apparatus that is connected to an information terminal having a web client function via a network and including a web server function, including: a communication unit that communicates with the information terminal; an image display unit that forms and displays an image; a control unit that controls the image display unit; a storage unit that stores model data defining a model of web screen information for instructing the control of the image display unit; and a generation unit that generates the web screen information that can be displayed in the information terminal by selecting the model data stored in the storage unit and a control item that controls the image display unit based on user agent information included in a request signal for the web screen information transmitted from the information terminal, and configuring, in the model indicated by the model data, an instruction unit for instructing the control item that controls the image display unit. The communication unit transmits the web screen information generated by the generation unit to the information terminal, and the control unit controls the control item of the image display unit based on an instruction signal transmitted as a result of specifying the instruction unit of the web screen information displayed in the information terminal. 
         [0012]    According to this configuration, the image display apparatus that includes the web server function selects, based on the request signal transmitted by the information terminal having the web client function, the model data stored in the storage unit and the control item that controls the image display unit, generates the web screen information that can be displayed in the information terminal, and sends the generated web screen information to the information terminal. In the case where an instruction has been made through the instruction unit in the web screen information displayed in the information terminal, an instruction signal is transmitted to the image display apparatus, and thus the image display apparatus can control the control item of the image display unit based on the instruction signal. Accordingly, the information terminal having the web client function can be caused to control the image display apparatus via the network. 
       Second Application Example 
       [0013]    In the image display apparatus according to the above aspect, the generation unit may select the model data and the control item based on user agent information included in the request signal. 
       Third Application Example 
       [0014]    In the image display apparatus according to the above aspect, it is preferable for the control unit to not accept instruction signals sent from an apparatus aside from the information terminal during a predetermined amount of time that starts when the instruction signal from the information terminal has been received. 
         [0015]    According to such a configuration, processing can be carried out exclusively because instruction signals sent from other apparatuses are not accepted during the predetermined amount of time following the reception of an instruction signal from the information terminal. 
       Fourth Application Example 
       [0016]    A control method of an image display unit according to a fourth aspect of the invention is a control method for controlling, over a network, an image display apparatus that has a web server function using an information terminal that has a web client function, including: transmitting, from the information terminal to the image display apparatus, a request signal for web screen information that controls the image display apparatus; selecting model data of the web screen information stored in the image display apparatus and a control item that controls the image display unit, based on user agent information included in the request signal; generating the web screen information that can be displayed in the information terminal by configuring, in the model indicated by the model data, an instruction unit for instructing the control item that controls the image display apparatus; transmitting the web screen information generated by the image display apparatus to the information terminal; displaying the web screen information received by the information terminal; in the case where the instruction unit of the web screen information in the information terminal is specified, transmitting, to the image display apparatus, an instruction signal in accordance with the instruction unit; and controlling the control item based on the instruction signal received by the image display apparatus. 
         [0017]    According to this method, the image display apparatus that includes the web server function selects, based on the request signal transmitted by the information terminal having the web client function, the stored model data and the control item for control, generates the web screen information that can be displayed in the information terminal, and sends the generated web screen information to the information terminal. In the case where an instruction has been made through the instruction unit in the web screen information displayed in the information terminal, an instruction signal is transmitted to the image display apparatus, and thus the image display apparatus can control the control item of the image display apparatus based on the instruction signal. Accordingly, the information terminal having the web client function can be caused to control the image display apparatus via the network. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements. 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a projector apparatus and a remote apparatus connected to a network, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating the hardware configurations of a projector apparatus and a remote apparatus. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing by which a remote apparatus controls a projector apparatus. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Hereinafter, a projector apparatus serving as an image display apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings. 
       Embodiment 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a remote apparatus  10 , which is an information terminal that has a web client function, and a projector apparatus  20 , which is an image display apparatus, connected to a network  40 . In this embodiment, it is assumed that the remote apparatus  10  is a mobile telephone, a mobile information terminal, a personal computer, or the like. Meanwhile, the projector apparatus  20  is a network device that is connected to the network  40 , and functions as a web server capable of transmitting information over the World Wide Web (WWW) via the network  40 . Note that the projection format of the projector apparatus  20  may be any format, such as a liquid crystal format, DLP (Digital Light Processing) format, or the like. The remote apparatus  10  and the projector apparatus  20  include communication units  12  and  22 , respectively. The communication units  12  and  22  transmit and receive information using a layer-based protocol such as the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) reference model. Meanwhile, it is assumed that the network  40  is the Internet, an intranet, or the like. 
         [0024]    The remote apparatus  10  includes the communication unit  12 , a web browser  14 , a display unit  16 , and an operation unit  18 . Meanwhile, the projector apparatus  20  includes the communication unit  22 , a request analysis unit  26 , an HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) generation unit  28 , a projector function unit  30 , and a storage unit  32 . In addition, the communication unit  22  includes an HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) processing unit  24  serving as an application-layer communication service. 
         [0025]    First, the functional units of the remote apparatus  10  will be described. The web browser  14  is a software application for browsing web pages; the web browser  14  generates, in response to a user specifying a URL (Uniform Resource Locator), a request to which a user agent header including a user agent has been added, and transmits that request to the specified web server over the Internet or the like. The web browser  14  then obtains HTML information generated by the web server in response to that request, analyzes the layout thereof, and displays a form based on the HTML information in the display unit  16 . 
         [0026]    Note that in this embodiment, the request mentioned here is assumed to generate a remote controller application that is capable of controlling the projector apparatus  20 . Although the remote controller application is not shown here, the application includes an instruction unit such as a button controller or the like serving as a user interface, and controls the starting and stopping of projection, various types of corrections such as trapezoidal distortion correction, and so on. The remote apparatus  10  also generates instruction data corresponding to the remote controller application as a result of the user operating the operation unit  18 , and transmits the data to the web server. The web browser  14  is capable of running software written in JavaScript™ and the like. It should be noted that the remote controller application loaded by the web browser  14  may be deleted in the case where a termination instruction has been received from the user, a predetermined amount of time has elapsed according to a timer, and so on. 
         [0027]    Next, the functional units of the projector apparatus  20  will be described. The HTTP processing unit  24  obtains the agent information from the request sent by the remote apparatus  10 , and instructs the request analysis unit  26  to analyze the request based on the obtained agent information. In this case, the projector apparatus  20  may be caused to be exclusively controlled by the remote apparatus  10 , and not accept requests from other apparatuses. If such is the case, a configuration in which the projector apparatus  20  carries out exclusive processing for a predetermined amount of time upon the request sent by the remote apparatus  10  being received can be considered. Furthermore, the projector apparatus  20  may include a unit for notifying other remote apparatuses  10  that the exclusive processing has ended when the exclusive processing has ended. 
         [0028]    The request analysis unit  26  functions as a control unit that analyzes the request sent by the remote apparatus  10  and controls the projector function unit  30 . In this embodiment, in the case where the request includes query information, the request analysis unit  26  analyzes that query information and sends control signals to the projector function unit  30  based on the results of the analysis. 
         [0029]    The projector function unit  30  is an example of an image display unit, and includes a function for displaying an image by enlarging and projecting an image formed based on inputted image data; in the case where control signals have been received from the request analysis unit  26 , the operations of the projector function unit  30  are controlled based on those control signals. Furthermore, in the case where a request to generate the remote controller application has been received, the projector function unit  30  obtains command information regarding control items that can be controlled by the projector apparatus  20 , and sends the obtained command information to the HTML generation unit  28 . 
         [0030]    Based on the user agent information, the HTML generation unit  28  selects a single HTML model  34 , which is model data defining the model of the remote controller application and which has been stored in advance in the storage unit  32 , and configures an instruction unit in the selected HTML model  34  based on the command information sent by the projector function unit  30 ; the HTML generation unit  28  then generates web screen information (HTML information) that functions as the remote controller application and sends that information to the HTTP processing unit  24 . Note that the web screen information of the remote controller application may include descriptions written using a script language such as JavaScript™ or the like. A format that employs a Java™ applet can also be considered. Furthermore, the HTML model  34  may be stored in a ROM  72  (see  FIG. 2 ), or may be sequentially added to a storage device  80  such as a flash memory (see  FIG. 2 ) in accordance with each remote apparatus  10 . The HTTP processing unit  24  returns the HTML information generated by the HTML generation unit  28  to the remote apparatus  10  as a response. 
         [0031]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating the hardware configurations of the remote apparatus  10  and the projector apparatus  20 . The remote apparatus  10  includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit)  52 , a ROM (Read-Only Memory)  54 , a RAM (Random Access Memory)  56 , a storage device  58 , input keys  60 , a display panel  62 , and a network I/F (interface)  64 ; these constituent elements are connected via a bus  66 . Meanwhile, the projector apparatus  20  includes a CPU  70 , the ROM  72 , a RAM  74 , a projection device  76 , a network I/F  78 , the storage device  80 , and a data input device  82 ; these constituent elements are connected via a bus  84 . The functions of the functional elements illustrated in  FIG. 1  are realized by the hardware illustrated in  FIG. 2  operating cooperatively with that software. 
         [0032]    Next,  FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing by which the remote apparatus  10  controls the projector apparatus  20 . First, the remote apparatus  10  obtains access information for the projector apparatus  20  from a barcode, a non-contact smartcard, or the like (step S 100 ). Then, the remote apparatus  10  sends a remote controller application request (request signal) to the projector apparatus  20  based on the obtained access information (step S 102 ). 
         [0033]    Next, the projector apparatus  20  receives a request from the remote apparatus  10  (step S 200 ). Then, the projector apparatus  20  obtains the agent information from the request (step S 202 ). Furthermore, the projector apparatus  20  obtains commands capable of controlling the projector function unit  30  at the present point in time (step S 204 ). 
         [0034]    Next, the projector apparatus  20  obtains the HTML model  34  from the storage unit  32  in accordance with the user (step S 206 ), and generates the remote controller application in which the controllable commands are configured in the obtained HTML model  34  (step S 208 ). 
         [0035]    Then, the projector apparatus  20  sends the generated remote controller application to the remote apparatus  10  (step S 210 ). 
         [0036]    Next, the remote apparatus  10  receives the remote controller application and displays the remote controller application in the display unit  16  (step S 104 ). Then, the remote controller application is operated by the user, and an instruction is made to the projector apparatus  20  (step S 106 ). 
         [0037]    Continuing on, the remote apparatus  10  generates a request (instruction signal) in accordance with the instruction and sends that request to the projector apparatus  20  (step S 108 ). Then, the remote apparatus  10  determines whether or not the operation of the projector apparatus  20  has been instructed to stop (step S 110 ); in the case where the operation has not been instructed to stop (No in step S 110 ), the process returns to step S 106 , where the system stands by for the user to operate the remote controller application. On the other hand, in the case where the operation has been instructed to stop (Yes in step S 110 ), the remote apparatus  10  deletes the remote controller application (step S 112 ), and the series of processes ends. 
         [0038]    Meanwhile, the projector apparatus  20  receives the request sent by the remote apparatus  10  in step S 108  (step S 212 ). Then, the projector apparatus  20  analyzes the query contained in the request and generates a control signal (step S 214 ), sends the generated control signal to the projector function unit  30 , and controls the projector function (step S 216 ). 
         [0039]    Next, the projector apparatus  20  determines whether or not the remote apparatus  10  has instructed the end of operation (step S 218 ); in the case where the operation has not been instructed to end (No in step S 218 ), the process returns to step S 212 , where the projector apparatus  20  stands by for a request from the remote apparatus  10 . On the other hand, in the case where the operation has been instructed to stop (Yes in step S 218 ), the projector apparatus  20  ends the series of processes. 
         [0040]    Through the aforementioned processing, a remote controller application in which usable commands are configured is sent to the remote apparatus  10 , which is originally not the remote controller for the projector apparatus  20 ; a user can control the projector apparatus  20  by operating the remote apparatus  10 , and thus the projector apparatus  20  can be controlled using a variety of information processing apparatuses. Furthermore, because the usable commands are determined when the remote controller application is generated, commands that are based on the configuration of the projector apparatus  20  are displayed in the remote controller application, making it possible to provide, to the user, a remote controller that is easy to use. Furthermore, because the remote controller application is deleted from the remote apparatus  10  after the remote controller application has been used, it is possible to make efficient use of the resources of the remote apparatus  10 , such as the memory and the like. 
         [0041]    Although an embodiment of the invention has been described with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration thereof is not intended to be limited to this embodiment, and various alterations, variations, and the like are possible without departing from the essential spirit of the invention. For example, although the projector apparatus  20  is employed as the image display apparatus, the image display apparatus is not limited thereto, and may instead be a television apparatus or the like. 
         [0042]    Furthermore, the apparatuses that execute the aforementioned methods may be realized by single, independent apparatus, or may be realized by a combination of multiple apparatuses; all such forms are considered to fall within the scope of the invention.