Patent Publication Number: US-2011074545-A1

Title: Remote operation device, remote operation device system, remote operation method and program

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a remote operation device, a remote operation device system, a remote operation method and a program. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     As a remote operation device to operate remotely an electronic device (hereinafter referred to also as “remote controller”), a remote controller equipped with a touch panel display has been well known. In this kind of remote controller, the touch panel display displays an operation screen including an icon in a graphical user interface (GUI) that is assigned each function of the electronic device. Then the electronic device is operated remotely by an operation of icon on the operational screen. Such remote controller can flexibly change a specification of the operation screen according to a function change of the electronic device. 
     However, since a size of the operation screen is automatically restricted depending on a size of the remote controller, as the number of icons increase, it becomes difficult to display all the icons on an operation screen. Then, a user needs to switch the operation screen to be displayed manually depending on the status of the electronic device and operates a desired icon. As the number of operation screen increases, it may force the user to perform a complicated switching operation on the operation screen. 
     In light of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide a remote operation device, a remote operation device system, a remote operation method and a program, capable of manipulating easily a desired icon on a touch panel display. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a remote operation device including a display panel for displaying a predetermined operation screen, a detection unit for detecting an operation input to the display panel, a remote operation unit for remotely operating an electronic device in accordance with the operation input, a state information obtaining unit for obtaining state information that indicates a state of the electronic device from the electronic device, and a display control unit for displaying an operation screen corresponding to the state information on the display panel in accordance with a change in the state of the electronic device. 
     According to such configuration, state information that indicates a state of the electronic device is obtained from the electronic device, and a predetermined operation screen corresponding to the state information is displayed on a display panel in accordance with a change in the state of the electronic device. This enables the user to operate easily a desired icon on the operation screen corresponding to the state of the electronic device without switching the operation screen manually. 
     Moreover, the remote operation device above may further include a device selection unit for selecting the electronic device to be operated remotely. Here, the remote operation device above may further include an operation screen information retaining unit for retaining operation screen information to generate an operation screen corresponding to each electronic device, and an operation screen generating unit for generating an operation screen corresponding to the selected electronic device based on the operation screen information. Further, the remote operation device may further include an operation screen list obtaining unit for obtaining an operation screen list corresponding to the selected electronic device from the electronic device, and an operation screen information obtaining unit for obtaining, from the electronic device, generation information of an operation screen that has not been obtained among the operation screens included in the list obtained. 
     The state information obtaining unit may obtain the change in the state notified by the electronic device as the state information. The state information obtaining unit may obtain regularly the state information from the electronic device. 
     The change in the state of the electronic device may be at least one of either a change depending on the operation input or a change not depending on the operation input. 
     According to the second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a remote operation method that includes the remote operation device above and an electronic device operated remotely by a remote operation device. 
     According to the third embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a remote operation method including obtaining state information that indicates a state of the electronic device from the electronic device, displaying a predetermined operation screen corresponding to the state information on a display panel in accordance with a change in the state of the electronic device; and detecting an operation input to the display panel to remotely operate the electronic device in accordance with the operation input. 
     According to the forth embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a program to a computer to execute the above-mentioned remote operation method. Here the program may be provided using a computer readable recording medium, or may be provided via a communication method. 
     According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a remote operation device, a remote operation device system, a remote operation method and a program, capable of manipulating easily a desired icon on a touch panel display. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing an overview of a remote controller system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing primary functional components of the remote controller system; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram showing an example of correspondence relationship among a state of an electronic device, an operation screen, and code information; 
         FIG. 4A  is a sequence diagram showing an operation of the remote controller system; 
         FIG. 4B  is a sequence diagram showing an operation of the remote controller system; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram showing an example of a device selection screen; 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen list; 
         FIG. 7A  is a diagram showing an example of generation of an operation screen; 
         FIG. 7B  is a diagram showing an example of generation of an operation screen; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen; and 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram showing an example of operation of the remote controller system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings. Note that, in this specification and the appended drawings, structural elements that have substantially the same function and structure are denoted with the same reference numerals, and repeated explanation of these structural elements is omitted. 
     1. THE REMOTE CONTROLLER SYSTEM 
     Hereinafter, with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an explanation will be given on the remote controller system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1  is a diagram showing an overview of a remote controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing primary functional components of the remote controller system. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the remote controller system includes a remote controller  100  equipped with a touch panel display  101 , and at least one electronic device  10  remotely operated via the remote controller  100 . Note that in  FIG. 1 , as an example of the electronic device  10 , a DVD player  10   a  and a television  10   b  are illustrated. 
     Between the remote controller  100  and the electronic device  10 , a wired or wireless two-way communication is performed. Note that the two-way communication may be performed in a direct manner or in an indirect manner via a network or the like which is not shown here. 
     The remote controller  100  stores operation screen information for generating an operation screen P, and operation code information for remotely controlling the electronic device  10 . The operation screen information is information for generating the operation screen P that includes an icon I assigned each functions of the electronic device  10 . The each operation screen P includes the icon I that is operated in accordance with each state of the electronic device  10 . Operation code information is information for generating operation commands to control the electronic device  10  to execute the each function of the electronic device  10 . 
     The electronic device  10  stores the operation screen information and the operation code information, and transmits the stored information to the remote controller  100  in response to an obtaining request from the remote controller  100 . Moreover, the electronic device  10  transmits status information that indicates its current status to the remote controller  100 . 
     If a user U selects the electronic device  10 , the remote controller  100  generates the operation screen P to operate the selected electronic device  10  (hereinafter referred to also as “the selected device  10 ”) based on the operation screen information, and displays it on the touch panel display  101 . If the user U operates the desired icon I on the operation screen P, the remote controller  100  generates the operation command corresponding to the operated icon I based on the operation code information, and transmits it to the selected device  10 . When received the operation command, the selected device  10  executes a function corresponding to the operation command based on the operation code information. 
     Here, the remote controller  100  receives the status information that indicates the current status from the selected device  10  (S 2 ) in accordance with a state change (S 1 ) of the selected device  10  (corresponds to the DVD player  10   a  in  FIG. 10 ). Then the remote controller  100  displays an operation screen P′ corresponding to the state of the selected device  10  which the status information indicates in place of the operation screen P (S 3 ). This enables the user U to easily operate the desired icon I on the operation screen P′ which is displayed according to the state change of the selected device  10 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , a functional configuration of the remote controller  100  and the electronic device  10 . The remote controller  100  includes a touch panel display  101 , a control unit  103 , a memory  105  and a communication unit  107 . The electronic device  10  includes a control unit  13  and a memory  15  and a communication unit  17 . Note that  FIG. 2  illustrates only the primary functional configuration according to the present invention. 
     At first, the functional configuration of the remote controller  100  will be explained. The touch panel display  101  has a configuration that is layered a touch panel display  101   b  (a detection unit) on a display panel  101   a . As the touch panel display  101   a , a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like is used. As the touch panel display  101   b , a resistive touch panel, a capacitive touch panel, an ultrasonic touch panel, and an infrared touch panel or the like are to be used. 
     The display panel  101   a  displays the device selection screen P 0 , and the operation screen P or the like. The touch panel  101   b  detects an operation input by a pointer on the panel surface. Note that the pointer is a finger of the user U, a stylus pen, a pointing device, or the like. 
     The control unit  103  includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM or the like. The CPU use the RAM as a working memory to execute a program stored in the ROM, and controls each unit of the remote controller  100 . The program functions as a remote operation unit for remotely operating the electronic device  10 , a status information obtaining unit for obtaining status information of the electronic device  10 , and a display control unit for controlling a display of the display panel  101   a . Further, the program also function as a device selection unit, an operation screen generating unit, an operation screen list obtaining unit, and an operation screen information obtaining unit. 
     The memory  105  is a nonvolatile memory such as EEPROM, and stores the operation screen information, the operation code information, data of the icon I, or the like. The operation screen information and the operation code information are associated to the corresponding electronic device  10  and the state of electronic device  10 . Further, the operation code information corresponding to the icon I that is included in the operation screen P is associated to the operation screen information. 
     The communication unit  107  receives the operation screen information, the operation code information, and the status information or the like form the electronic device  10  via an antenna  108 , and transmits the operation command or the like to the electronic device  10 . The communication unit  107  performs a two-way wireless communication in the same communication method with the communication unit  17  of the electronic device  10   
     The control unit  103  controls the display panel  101   a  to display the device selection screen P 0  which encourages the user U to select the electronic device  10  that is an operation object. When the user U selects the electronic device  10  on the device selection screen P 0 , the control unit  103  controls the display panel  101   a  to display the operation screen P corresponding to the electronic device  10  based on the operation screen information. 
     When the user U manipulates the desired icon I on the operation screen P, the control unit  103  controls the communication unit  107  to transmit an operation command corresponding to the manipulated icon I to the selected device  10 , based on the operation code information. 
     Here, the control unit  103  receives the status information that indicates the current state in accordance with the state change of the selected device  10  from the selected device  10  via the communication unit  107 . When the state of the selected device  10  is changed, the control unit  103  controls the display panel  101   a  to display the operation screen P corresponding to the state of the selected device  10  which the status information indicates. 
     Next, the functional configuration of the electronic device  10  will be described. The control unit  13  includes a CPU, a RAM, and a ROM, for example, and controls each unit of the electronic device  10 . The memory  15  is a nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM, which stores therein the operation screen information, the operation code information or the like. The communication unit  17  transmits the operation screen information, the operation code information, the status information or the like to the remote controller  100  via an antenna  18 , and receives the operation command or the like from the remote controller  100 . 
     The control unit  13  retains operation information that indicates the state of the electronic device  10 . The control unit  13  transmits the status information that indicates the current state to the remote controller  100  depending on the change in the state of the electronic device  10 , over the period of time while being remotely operated by the remote controller  100 . Further, when received the operation command from the remote controller  100 , the control unit  13  executes a function corresponding to the received operation command based on the operation code information. 
     2. OPERATION OF REMOTE CONTROLLER SYSTEM 
     In the following, an operation of the remote controller system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 3  is a diagram showing an example of correspondence relationship among a state of an electronic device  10 , an operation screen P, and code information.  FIGS. 4A and 4B  are sequence diagrams showing an operation of the remote controller system.  FIG. 5  is a diagram showing an example of a device selection screen P 0 .  FIG. 6  is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen list.  FIGS. 7A and 7B  are diagrams showing an example of generation of an operation screen.  FIG. 8  is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen.  FIG. 9  is a diagram showing an example of operation of the remote controller system. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an example of correspondence relationship among a state, the operation screen P and the code information according to each electronic device  10 . Here, an explanation will be given on a case of a DVD player  10   a , but a case of other electronic devices  10  including the television  10   b  will be explained in the same manner. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the status information of the DVD player  10   a  indicates the states such as a waiting state for menu operation St 1 , a waiting state for main power-on operation St 2 , a waiting state for content reproducing operation St 3 , a waiting state for 10-key input operation St 4 , a waiting state for text input operation St 5 , a waiting state for cursor operation St 6  or the like. 
     Each of the state corresponds to a menu operation screen P 1 , a main power-on operation screen P 2 , a content reproducing operation screen P 3 , a 10-key input operation screen P 4 , a text input operation screen P 5 , and a cursor operation screen P 6  respectively. Moreover, each operation screen P is associated its corresponding code information; for example, the menu operation screen P 1  is associated with the code information C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , etc corresponding to each of a title registration, a content reproducing, a processing setting, or the like. 
     Here, the waiting state for menu operation St 1 , the waiting state for main power-on operation St 2  and the waiting state for content reproducing operation St 3  are the state waiting respectively for an operation to select a menu item by the user U, an operation to turn-on the main power, and an operation to reproduce the content. Moreover, the waiting state for 10-key input operation St 4 , the waiting state for text input operation St 5  and the waiting state for cursor operation St 6  are the state waiting respectively for an operation to input a 10-key by the user U, an operation to input text, and an operation of a cursor. 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  mainly shows an operation of the remote controller  100 . As  FIG. 4A  shows, when the user U starts-up the remote controller  100  (step S 101 ), the control unit  103  controls the display panel  101   a  to display the device selection screen P 0  (S 103 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , in the device selection screen P 0  a device selection icon I which indicates the electronic device  10  being selectable as an operation object.  FIG. 5  shows a DVD player selection icon I 0   a , a television selection icon I 0   b , a CD player selection icon I 0   c , a VCR selection icon I 0   d , an audio amplifier selection icon I 0   e , and a satellite tuner selection icon I 0   f . Note that in the device selection screen P 0 , a power icon I 0   a  is shown to turn-off the power to the remote controller  100 . 
     When the user U selects the electronic device on the device selection screen P 0  (S 105 ), the control unit  103  performs a pairing processing to the selected electronic device  10  (the selected device  10 ) (S 107 ). 
     The pairing processing exchanges device IDs of both parties between the remote controller  100  and the selected device  10 . Note that as the device ID, a MCA address that is assigned at a time of production of the remote controller  100  and the electronic device  10 , and an address generated from the MCA address, or the like are used. 
     For example, assume a case where the pairing processing is performed between the remote controller  100  and the DVD player  10   a  at a location where the DVD player  10   a  and the television  10   b  are arranged. In this case, when the user U operates the device selection icon I 0   a , the remote controller  100  simultaneously transmits a paring request and the DVD player  10   a  and the television  10   b  receives the paring request. 
     The paring request includes an ID of the remote controller  100 , and a device classification code that indicates a device classification (in this example, a “DVD player”) of the selected device  10  that is a paring object. Note that as the device classification code, for example, an existing commodity code such as JAN (Japanese Article Number) code or the like is used. 
     The DVD player  10   a  and the television  10   b  determine whether the device classification code included in the paring request is identical to the own device classification code. In this case, the device classification code included in the paring request if a “DVD player”, the DVD player  10   a  determines that the device classification code are identical and transmits a response that includes the own device ID. 
     When receiving the response from the DVD player  10   a , the remote controller  100  register the device ID of the DVD player  10   a  as the device ID in the memory  105  or the like. Then after that, between the remote controller  100  and the DVD player  10   a , information will be transmitted and received with the device ID. 
     When the pairing processing is completed, the control unit  103  controls the communication unit  107  to transmit an obtaining request for operation screen list to the selected device  10  (S 109 ). 
     When receiving the obtaining request, the control unit  13  of the selected device  10  generates an operation screen list from operation screen information stored in the memory  105 . Here, the operation screen list is a list of the operation screen information, and includes an ID, version or the like of the operation screen information. Then the control unit  13  of the selected device  10  controls the communication unit  107  to transmit the operation screen list to the remote controller  100  (s 111 ). 
     For example, in the operation screen list shown in  FIG. 6 , as names of the operation screen P, a menu operation screen (Menu Panel), a main power-on operation screen (Power Panel), a 10-key input operation screen (Ten Key Panel), a text input operation screen (Text Panel), a cursor operation screen (5WayPanel), and a content reproducing operation screen (Play Panel) are shown. 
     When received the operation screen list, the control unit  103  compares the operation screen list to the operation screen information that the electronic device  10  obtains. Then the control unit  103  confirms whether the operation screen information that has not been obtained is included in the operation screen list (S 113 ). The operation screen information that has not been obtained is to be specified based on the ID, version or the like. 
     If the operation screen information that has not been obtained is included, the control unit  103  controls the communication unit  107  to transmit an obtaining request for the operation screen information that has not been obtained (S 115 ). Moreover, the control unit  103  controls the communication unit  107  to transmit an obtaining request for the operation code information corresponding to the operation screen information that has not been obtained. Here, the obtaining request for the operation screen information and the operation code information include information to identify the information to be requested to obtain (ID, version or the like). Note that if there is no operation screen information that has not been obtained, the control unit  103  skips the processing in step S 115  and S 117  and performs the processing of step S 119 . 
     When received the obtaining request, the control unit  13  of the selected device  10  reads the operation screen information that has not been obtained and the operation code information from the memory  15 , and controls the communication unit  17  to transmit the obtained operation screen information that has not been obtained and the operation code information along with the corresponding state to the remote controller  100  (S 117 ). When received the operation screen information that has not been obtained and the operation code information, the control unit  103  of the remote controller  100  associates the received operation screen information and the operation code information with the selected device  10  and the state of the selected device to store into the memory  105 . 
       FIG. 7A  shows, as an example of the operation screen information, operation screen information for generating an arbitrary setting operation screen P 7  (Custom Panel). The operation screen information defines therein an icon b 1  (Button 1 ), a specification (placement, size, image, etc) of an icon b 2  (a mark of face). The control unit  103  generates the arbitrary setting operation screen based on the operation screen information. 
       FIG. 7B  shows the generated arbitrary setting operation screen P 7 . The icon b 1  is defined by definition information &lt;button name=“b1” text=“Button1” key=“enter” x=“10” y=“10” width=“30” height=“10”/&gt;. The definition information enables to display the icon b 1  with a width of 30, a height of 30, and a text of “Button 1 ”, assuming a coordinate at the left upper corner of the icon is (10, 10). Then in accordance with the operation of the icon b 1 , the operation command “enter” is to be transmitted to the selected device  10 . 
     The icon b 2  is defined by definition information &lt;button name=“b2” image=“url” key=“777” x=“10” y=“30”/&gt;. The definition information enables to display the icon b 2  with in an image (a mark of face) specified by “url”, assuming a coordinate at the left upper corner of the icon is (10, 30). Then in accordance with the operation of the icon b 2 , the operation command “777” is to be transmitted to the selected device  10 . 
     When having all the operation screen information corresponding to the selected device  10  lined up, the control unit  103  controls the communication unit  107  to transmit the obtaining request for status information to the selected device  10  (S 119 ). When received the obtaining request for status information, the control unit  13  of the selected device  10  controls the communication unit  17  to transmit the status information that indicates the current state of the selected device  10  to the remote controller  100  (S 121 ). Note that the control unit  13  of the selected device  10  may control the communication unit  17  to transmit the status information to the remote controller  100  without receiving the obtaining request for status information. 
     When receiving the status information, the control unit  103  selects the operation screen P corresponding to the state of the selected device  10 , and controls the display panel  101   a  to display the selected operation screen P (S 123 ). 
       FIG. 8  shows, as an example of the operation screen P corresponding to the DVD player, the menu operation screen P 1 , the text input operation screen P 5 , and the content reproducing operation screen P 3 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , in the menu operation screen P 1 , a title registration icon I 1   a , a content reproducing icon I 1   b , a processing setting icon I 1   c , or the like are displayed as icons I to be selected as menu items. In the text input operation screen P 5 , text icon I 5   t  for an alphabet or the like, and an ENTER icon I 5   e  are displayed as icons I used for text input operation. In the content reproducing operation screen P 3 , a replay icon I 3   a , and a stop icon I 3   b  or the like are shown as an icons I used for the content reproduction operation. 
     In the menu operation screen P 1 , a Home icon Ib is displayed for a switching operation to the device selection screen P 0 . In the operation screen P (an operation screen P 3 , P 5  or the like) other than the menu operation screen P 0 , a Menu icon Ic is displayed for a switching operation to the menu operation screen P 1 . 
     Next, as shown in  FIG. 4B , when an icon I is manipulated on the operation screen P (S 125 ), the control unit  103  controls the communication unit  107  to transmit a corresponding operation command to the selected device  10 , based on the operation code information corresponding to the manipulated icon I (S 127 ). 
     When received the operation command, the control unit  13  of the selected device  10  performs the function corresponding to the operation command (S 129 ). If the state of the selected device  10  has not been changed, the control unit  13  of the selected device  10  controls the communication unit  17  to transmit the response toward the operation command to the remote controller  100  (S 131 ). 
     On the other hand, if functions is performed in accordance with the icon operation (S 133  to S 137 ) and the state of the selected device  10  has been changed (S 139 ), the control unit  13  of the selected device  10  controls the communication unit  17  to transmit the status information that indicates the state after the change to the remote controller  100  (S 141 ). Here, the change in the state of the selected device  10  may be a change depending on a function execution corresponding to the operation command, and may be a change not depending on a function execution corresponding to the operation command. 
     When the state of the selected device  10  has been changed, the control unit  103  controls the display panel  101   a  to display the screen P corresponding to the state of the selected device  10  based on the current status information (S 143 ). 
     Here, in the processing of step S 41 , the control unit  103  is to obtain passively the status information from the selected device  10 . However, the control unit  103  may obtain actively the status information from the selected device  10  using a regular polling. In this case, the remote controller  100  substantially monitors the state of the selected device  10 . 
     Then, between the remote controller  100  and the selected device  10 , the processing from step S 125  to S 143  is to be repeated. Note that if the user U changes the selection of the electronic device on the device selection screen P 0  (S 105 ), the control unit  103  performs the subsequent processing after step S 107  to the changed selected device  10 , as described above. 
     Hereinafter, with reference to  FIG. 9 , an explanation will be given on an example of operations of the remote controller system. As the example of the operations of the remote controller system, it is assumed a case where the DVD player  10   a  is selected at first to perform an operation of registering a title and an operation of reproducing content, then the television  10   b  is selected to perform an operation of viewing the content. 
     In this case, the state of the DVD player  10   a  goes through the waiting state for menu operation St 1  of the DVD player  10   a , and transits to the waiting state for text input operation St 5  and the waiting state for content reproducing operation St 3 . And the state of the television  10   b  transits from the waiting state for menu operation St 1 ′ of the television  10   b  to the waiting state for content viewing operation St 3 ′ of the television  10   b.    
     When receiving the status information (the waiting state for menu operation St 1 ), the remote controller  100  displays the menu operation screen P 1 . Then, when the title registration icon I 1   a  is manipulated, the remote controller  100  transmits the operation command corresponding to the function execution of the processing of title registration to the DVD player  10   a.    
     When receiving the operation command, the DVD player  10   a  performs a preprocessing for starting the function of title registration. Then, since the operation state of the DVD player  10   a  has been changed, the DVD player  10   a  transmits the status information (the waiting state for text input operation St 5 ) to the remote controller  100 . 
     When receiving the status information, the remote controller  100  displays the text input operation screen P 5 . Then, when a title is input on the operation screen P 5  and the ENTER icon I 5   e  is manipulated, the remote controller  100  transmits the operation command corresponding to a ending of the operation of text input to the DVD player  10   a.    
     When receiving the status information, the DVD player  10   a  performs a post processing for ending the function of title registration. Then, since the operation state of the DVD player  10   a  has been changed, the DVD player  10   a  transmits the status information (the waiting state for menu operation St 1 ) to the remote controller  100 . 
     When receiving the status information, the remote controller  100  displays the menu operation screen P 1 . Then, when the content reproducing icon I 1   b  is manipulated on the operation screen P 1 , the remote controller  100  transmits the operation command corresponding to the function execution of content reproducing to the DVD player  10   a.    
     When receiving the operation command, the DVD player  10   a  performs a preprocessing for starting the function of content reproducing. Then, since the operation state of the DVD player  10   a  has been changed, the DVD player  10   a  transmits the status information (the waiting state for content reproducing operation St 3 ) to the remote controller  100 . 
     When receiving the status information, the remote controller  100  displays the content reproducing operation screen P 3 . Then, when the replay icon I 3   a  is manipulated on the operation screen P 3 , the remote controller  100  transmits the operation command corresponding to starting of content reproducing to the DVD player  10   a.    
     When receiving the operation command, the DVD player  10   a  performs a preprocessing for starting the function of content reproducing, then transmits a starting response of the processing to the remote controller  100 . 
     When the Menu icon Ic is manipulated on the operation screen P 3 , the remote controller  100  displays the menu operation screen P 1 . Then, when the Home icon Ib is manipulated on the operation screen P 1 , the remote controller  100  displays the device selection screen P 0 . 
     When the television selection icon Mb is manipulated on the operation screen P 0 , the remote controller  100  interrupts the remote operation of the DVD player  10   a , and performs a polling processing with the television  10   b . Then when the polling processing is completed, the remote controller  100  changes the selected device  10  from the DVD player  10   a  to the DVD player  10   a  to the television  10   b . After changing the selected device  10 , the remote controller  100  obtains the operation screen list from the television  10   b , and if needed, obtains, from the television  10   b , the operation screen information that has not been obtained. 
     When receiving the status information (the waiting state for menu operation St 1 ′), the remote controller  100  displays the menu operation screen P 1 ′. Then, when the content viewing icon I that is no shown herein is manipulated, the remote controller  100  transmits the operation command corresponding to the function execution of the content viewing to the television  10   b . This enables the user U to smoothly operate a plurality of electronic devices such as the DVD player  10   a , the television  10   b  or the like using the remote controller  100 . 
     3. CONCLUSION 
     In the remote controller system according to the embodiment of the present invention, the status information that indicates the state of the electronic device  10  can obtain from the electronic device  10 , and the operation screen P corresponding to the status information is displayed on the display panel  101   a  depending on the state change of the electronic device  10 . This enables the user U operates the desired icon I on the operation screen P corresponding to the state of the electronic device  10  without switching the operation screen P manually. 
     Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. 
     For example, in the explanation of the above embodiment, the remote controller  100  selectively obtains the operation screen list and the operation screen information that has not been obtained from the selected device  10 . However, the remote controller  100  may obtain all the operation screen information included in the operation screen list from the selected device  10  along with the operation screen list. In this case, the remote controller  100  is to choose some of the operation screen information that has not been obtained based on the operation screen list. Or the selected device  10  may obtain the operation screen list of the operation screen information that the remote controller  100  obtains, and may selectively provide the operation screen information that is not included in the operation screen list to the remote controller  100 . 
     The present application contains subject matter related to that disclosed in Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2009-224985 filed in the Japan Patent Office on Sep. 29, 2009, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.