Patent Publication Number: US-2015074569-A1

Title: Display Device, Display Method and Display System

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/877,145, filed Sep. 13, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     An embodiment of the present invention relates to a display device, a display method and a display system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventionally, in order to control home electrical appliances and apparatuses, a remote controller for provide the control for each home electrical appliance and apparatus has been previously offered. This type of remote controller has been generally designed for each home electrical appliance and apparatus in accordance with the specification of equipment concerned. 
     Information communication tends to be developed in recent years. Therefore, a technology has been offered in which a variety of services is provided to citizens by connecting home electrical appliances and apparatuses to facilitate the control. For example, with the development of information communication in recent years, a communication protocol such as ECHONET lite has been known in general for controlling in-home equipment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing an example of a household equipment communication system according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a display device according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing a structural example of a program executed in the display device according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram showing an example of a processing flow of a program executed in the display device according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram showing an example of a screen according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram showing an example of a screen according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram showing an example of a screen according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram showing an example of a screen according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram showing an example of a screen according to the embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     According to one embodiment, a display device includes a CPU (central processing unit), a display controller and an obtain module. The display controller displays a first icon and a second icon in predetermined layouts on a display. The first icon receives an instruction for executing a mode in relation to cooling and the second icon receives an instruction for executing a mode in relation to heating. The obtain module obtains information on at least one of air temperature and date. The display controller changes a layout of one icon of the first and second icons and maintains a layout of the other icon of the first and second icons based on the information when the information meets a predetermined condition. 
     Various Embodiments will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram showing an example of a household equipment communication system according to an embodiment. The household equipment communication system is equipped with a first air conditioning device  201  and a second air conditioning device  202 . The air conditioning devices may be installed in a single room, or may be installed in rooms different from each other. Furthermore, each of the air conditioning devices is connected to an outdoor unit (not shown). Then, these air conditioning devices have a function of measuring air temperature and humidity in a room, and the outdoor unit has a function of measuring air temperature outside the room to inform it to an indoor unit (the air conditioning device). Then, in the household equipment communication system according to the present embodiment, for example, a portable tablet-type display device controls these air conditioning devices using wired or wireless communication. In addition, the display device may not portable, but may be a stationary type, or may be a type of being embedded in a house, for example. 
     An operation application for operating the air conditioning devices is installed in a display device  100  according to the present embodiment. In addition, the explanation of authentication between the operation application and the apparatuses will be omitted because a conventionally-offered technique and the like can be used therefor. Then, a user can operate the first air conditioning device  201  and the second air conditioning device  202  by operating a touch panel of the display device  100 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , Bluetooth connects the display device  100  to the first air conditioning device  201  and the second air conditioning device  202 . Furthermore, in the present embodiment, ECHONET Lite communication protocol is used as a communication protocol at the layer higher than Bluetooth. 
     ECHONET Lite communication protocol is a protocol which has been offered for collectively managing in-home setting equipment and the like in an energy management system for domestic use called HEMS (Home Energy Management System). In addition, the present embodiment is not limited to ECHONET Lite, but may use other communication protocol. 
     Furthermore, in the present embodiment, there is also not a limitation on a communication protocol at a layer lower than ECHONET Lite, and thus IEEE802.11b/g/n, IEEE802.15.4, etc., may be used instead of Bluetooth, for example. In this case, the display device  100  wirelessly communicates with a wireless communication adapter  203 . Then, the wireless communication adapter  203  communicates with the first air conditioning device  201  and the second air conditioning device  202  linked by wireless or wired connection (such as Ethernet). This makes the display device  100  possible to communicate with the first air conditioning device  201  and the second air conditioning device  202  through the wireless communication adapter  203 . 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the display device  100 . The display device  100  according to a first embodiment is provided with a CPU (Central Processing Unit)  101 , a main memory  102 , a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)  103 , a display  104 , a system controller  105 , an EC/KBC (Embedded Controller/Keyboard Controller)  106 , a touch sensor  107 , a BIOS-ROM  108 , an SSD (Solid State Drive)  109 , a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) module, a BT (Bluetooth) module  111 , etc. 
     The CPU  101  is a processor for controlling the operation of each component of the display device  100 . The CPU  101  executes a program, such as an operating system (OS), an operation application  300 , etc., which is loaded from the SSD  109  to the main memory  102 . 
     Furthermore, the CPU  101  also executes BIOS (Basic Input Output System) stored in the BIOS-ROM  108  which is a nonvolatile memory. BIOS is a system program for the hardware control. 
     The GPU  103  is a display controller for controlling the display  104  used as a display monitor of the display device  100 . The GPU  103  generates a display signal to be supplied to the display  104  from the display data stored in a video memory (not shown). 
     The system controller  105  is a bridge device which provides a connection between the CPU  101  and each component. The system controller  105  contains a serial ATA controller for controlling the SSD  109 . 
     The EC/KBC  106  is a single-chip microcomputer on which an embedded controller (power management controller) for managing power of the display device  100 , and a keyboard controller for controlling a touch sensor controller for controlling the touch sensor  107  are integrated. 
     The touch sensor  107  is provided by overlaid, for example, on a display screen of the display  104  to detect a touch operation to the display  104  by a user. In addition, the touch operation is not only the operation of touching the display  104 , but may include the operation of getting closer to the display  104  without touching. 
     A WLAN module  110  and the BT module  111  execute the communication with external equipment through an antenna (not shown). 
       FIG. 3  shows a structural example of an SW/HW processing block in relation to the operation application  300  of the display device  100 . 
     The operation application  300  is provided with an operation receiving module  301 , a display controller  302  and a communication controller  303 . 
     Operation information is input from the EC/KBC  106  to the operation receiving module  301 . Here, the operation information refers to coordinate information and the like of the touch operation detected by the touch sensor  107 , for example. Then, the operation receiving module  301  outputs the input operation information to the display controller  302 . 
     The display controller  302  generates an operation screen including a variety of icons (buttons) for operating the air conditioning device. In addition, the display controller  302  of the present embodiment generates the operation screen in accordance with air temperature, season, etc. Then, the generated operation screen is output to the GPU  103  to be displayed on the display  104 . 
     Furthermore, the display controller  302  determines to which of icons in the operation screen the operation has been done based on the operation information which is input from the operation receiving module  301 . Then, the display controller  302  gives the communication controller  303  an instruction on generation and transmission of a command in accordance with the determined result concerned. Furthermore, status information of the first air conditioning device  201  and that of the second air conditioning device  202  are input from the communication controller  303  to the display controller  302 . 
     The communication controller  303  executes generation, transmission and reception of a command in accordance with ECHONET Lite protocol. The kind of command to be generated and transmitted includes, for example, a request for start/stop of the air conditioning device, a request for status information, a request for changing a running mode, a request for changing a target temperature, etc. Moreover, the kind of command to be received includes status information and the like. In addition, although the status information contains information on the current running mode of the air conditioning device, outside air temperature, indoor air temperature, humidity and the like, the information on outside air temperature or humidity may not be contained depending on the model of the air conditioning device. 
       FIG. 4  shows a process flow by the operation application  300 . First, the operation application determines an unnecessary running mode out of cooling, dehumidification and heating (S 401 ). Here, when the air conditioning device has a function of measuring indoor air temperature and humidity and the outdoor unit of the air conditioning device concerned has a function of measuring outdoor air temperature, the operation application  300  extracts information on indoor air temperature, humidity and outdoor air temperature contained in the status information which is obtained from the air conditioning device concerned. In addition, the operation application  300  may obtain through an external network the information on outdoor air temperature and humidity in the area where the device itself stands. Then, the operation application determines that the heating is unnecessary if both the indoor air temperature and the outdoor air temperature are 25° C. or above, the cooling is unnecessary if both the indoor air temperature and the outdoor air temperature are 20° C. or below, and the cooling and dehumidification are unnecessary if the discomfort index is 70 or below, and the like, for example. 
     Otherwise, if the display device  100  cannot obtain the measurements such as temperature, humidity, etc., from the air conditioning device, the operation application  300  may obtain information on date calculated by a clock function of the display device  100 , and determine, based on the date, the running mode out of cooling, dehumidification and heating which is less likely to be used. More specifically, the operation application  300  may determine that the cooling and dehumidification modes are less likely to be used from November to March in Japan, and determine that the heating mode is less likely to be used from June to September in Japan. 
     Next, the display controller  302  generates an operation screen with a display form (layout) in accordance with the determination at S 401  (S 402 ). Here, when an icon on the operation screen is operated (S 403 ) and the operation concerned is one which is regarded as being inappropriate in such a display form (YES at S 404 ), the display controller  302  generates an alarm image to be displayed on the display  104  (S 405 ). Then, the operation application  300  executes the processing such as issue of a command and the like in accordance with the operation to the alarm image (S 406 ). Furthermore, the processing such as issue of a command and the like is executed also in the case where the processing proceeds to NO at S 403  (S 406 ). Then, the processing from S 401  to S 406  ends when the program ends (Yes in S 407 ). 
       FIG. 5  shows an example of screen configuration of an operation screen. The operation screen  500  is provided with an environment data  501 , a setting temperature  502 , a temperature adjusting icon  503 , mode switching icons  504  to  509 , a termination icon  510 , a background image  511 , etc. In addition, the operation screen  500  is displayed when the outdoor air temperature is 20 to 22° C., for example. Otherwise, the operation screen  500  is displayed from April to May and from October to November in Japan. More specifically, the operation screen  500  is displayed in the season or at the temperature in which it is unclear which of the cooling function or the heating function is to be utilized. 
     The environment data  501  shows room temperature, humidity and outdoor air temperature. Here, the display controller  302  obtains status information containing room temperature, humidity and outdoor air temperature from the air conditioning device which is to be operated by the operation screen  500 . Then, the display controller  302  generates and displays the environment data  501  based on the status information concerned. 
     The setting temperature  502  is a target temperature set for the air conditioning device to be operated, and the temperature adjusting icon  503  is an icon which receives the operation for changing the target temperature. The mode switching icon  504  is an icon which receives the operation for changing the air conditioning device into the cooling mode. The mode switching icon  505  is an icon which receives the operation for changing the air conditioning device into the dehumidification mode. The mode switching icon  506  is an icon which receives the operation for changing the air conditioning device into the heating mode. The mode switching icon  507  is an icon which receives the operation for changing the air conditioning device into the air cleaning mode. The mode switching icon  508  is an icon which receives the operation for changing the volume of air of the air conditioning device. The mode switching icon  509  is an icon which receives the operation for changing the air conditioning device into the automatic running mode. Then, when receiving the operations to these icons, the communication controller  303  transmits a command to given the air conditioning device to be operated an instruction on the operation in a mode in accordance with the icon. The termination icon  510  is an icon which receives the operation for terminating the air conditioning device. The background image  511  is a wallpaper adapted to season, for example. 
       FIG. 6  is an example of layout of the operation screen displayed in the season or at the temperature in which the use of heating is commonly considered to be inappropriate. More specifically, an operation screen  600  is displayed in the case where the outdoor air temperature is 25° C. or above, both the indoor air temperature and the outdoor air temperature are 25° C. or above, or the date is in June to September, for example. In addition, in the operation screen  600 , like reference is assigned to the structure having like function in the operation screen  500 . Here, the operation screen  600  hides the mode switching icon  506  which has been displayed on the operation screen  500 , i.e., the icon for receiving the instruction on heating mode. Then, the background image  511  is cold color such as blue-type colors and the like. 
     On the other hand,  FIG. 7  is an example of layout of the operation screen displayed in the season or at the temperature in which the use of cooling is commonly considered to be inappropriate. More specifically, an operation screen  700  is displayed in the case where both the indoor air temperature and the outdoor air temperature are 20° C. or below, the outdoor air temperature is 20° C. or below, or the date is in November to March, for example. In addition, in the operation screen  700 , like reference is assigned to the structure having like function in the operation screen  500 . Here, the operation screen  700  hides the mode switching icons  504  and  505  which has been displayed on the operation screen  500 , i.e., the icons for receiving the instruction on cooling mode. Then, the background image  511  is warm color such as red-type colors and the like. In addition, in  FIG. 7 , although two icons  504  and  505  are hidden because both the cooling mode and the dehumidification mode are modes in relation to cooling, one of the icon  504  of the cooling mode and the icon  505  of the dehumidification mode may be hidden depending on the condition of air temperature and humidity. 
       FIG. 8  is an example of other layout of the operation screen displayed in the case where the use of heating is inappropriate. An icon  806  which is the reduced icon  506  on the operation screen  500  is displayed on an operation screen  800 . When the display controller  302  determines the display form of the operation screen to be displayed based only on date, heating may be required even in summer due to the cold weather. The operation screen  800 , however, makes it possible to utilize the heating even in such a case. Therefore, the display device  100  may display the operation screen in  FIG. 6  or  7  when obtaining information, for example, on air temperature to be able to determine the necessity of icon of each running mode, whereas display the operation screen in  FIG. 8  when failing to obtain information on air temperature so as to determine the necessity of icon of each mode based on information on date. 
     Here, the icon  806  is smaller in size than the icons  504  and  505  in relation to cooling. Furthermore, the interval between the icon  806  and the icon  505  is larger than the interval between the icon  804  and the icon  805 . In addition, although the operation screen  800  displays the icon  806  in the same line as the icons  504  and  505  in relation to cooling, the icon  806  may be displayed in the other line. 
     Furthermore, if the use of cooling is inappropriate, the display controller  302  may reduce the icons  504  and  505  in relation to cooling, or change the display positions thereof, similar to the operation screen  800 . 
       FIG. 9  is an alarm image which is displayed on the operation screen  800  when the icon  806  receives the operation input. Here, since the operation input for heating is received in season and temperature in which the use of heating is considered to be inappropriate, a message is displayed which confirms whether or not the control by the operation input concerned is to be really executed. Then, when the operation regarding “YES” is received, a request for starting heating is transmitted to the air conditioning device. When receiving the operation regarding “NO”, the display device  100  does not transmit a request to the air conditioning device, and returns to the display of the operation screen  800  in  FIG. 8 . 
     While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are adduced as examples and the limitation of the scope of the invention is not intended. Those novel embodiments can be implemented in other various forms, and various omissions, replacements and modifications can be made without departing the gist of the invention. Those embodiments and the variations thereof are included in the scope of the invention and the summary thereof, as well as included in the scope of the invention described in Claims and that of equivalents thereof.