Patent Publication Number: US-2021167984-A1

Title: Method for controlling an air conditioner, communication control method, and communication system

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a device control system, a management apparatus, a device control method, and a control program. 
     This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-087115 filed Apr. 25, 2016, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Some energy consumption devices (home appliances) such as air conditioners and light fixtures which are installed in facilities such as standard homes and offices have a communication function. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-310022 (Patent Literature 1), there is known a system in which such devices are controlled (e.g., remote controlled) by a terminal apparatus carried by a user. As a communication standard between an apparatus serving as a controller and devices in such a system, ECHONET standard (Non-Patent Literature 1) is known. 
     By installing a dedicated application (program) on a terminal apparatus such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, the terminal apparatus can be allowed to function as a controller for controlling devices. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-310022 
     Non-Patent Literature 
     Non-Patent Literature 1: The ECHONET Lite Specification Version 1.12, ECHONET CONSORTIUM, Sep. 30, 2015) 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     According to one embodiment, a device control system is a device control system including: a management apparatus that can communicate with a plurality of target devices, the plurality of target devices being management targets; and one or more terminal apparatuses that can communicate with the management apparatus and that control the target devices through communication with the management apparatus. The management apparatus includes: a management storage unit that stores an overall management table including pieces of identification information of the target devices and device names, the device names being names of the target devices set by a user; and a management control unit that controls communication with the terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus includes: a terminal storage unit that stores a local table including the pieces of identification information of the target devices; and display priority levels indicating display priorities of the target devices, respectively; a display unit that displays the device names of the target devices; and a terminal control unit that controls communication with the management apparatus and display performed by the display unit. The management control unit transmits pieces of identification information and device names of some or all of the target devices to the terminal apparatus, the pieces of identification information and the device names being included in the overall management table, and the terminal control unit controls the display unit to display the device names associated with the received pieces of identification information, according to corresponding display priority levels included in the local table. 
     According to another embodiment, a management apparatus is a management apparatus that can communicate with a plurality of target devices, the plurality of target devices being management targets. The management apparatus includes: a management storage unit that stores an overall management table including pieces of identification information and device names, the identification information being information by which the target device can be identified, and the device name being a name of the target device set by a user; and a management control unit that controls communication with a terminal apparatus that controls the target devices through communication with the management apparatus. The management control unit transmits pieces of identification information and device names of some or all of the target devices to the terminal apparatus, the pieces of identification information and the device names being included in the overall management table. 
     According to still another embodiment, a device control method is a device control method performed by a device control system including a management apparatus that can communicate with a plurality of target devices, the plurality of target devices being management targets; and a terminal apparatus that can communicate with the management apparatus and that controls the target devices through communication with the management apparatus. The device control method includes the steps of: storing, by the management apparatus, an overall management table including pieces of identification information and device names, the identification information being information by which the target device can be identified, and the device name being a name of the target device set by a user; storing, by the terminal apparatus, a local table including the pieces of identification information of the target devices; and display priority levels indicating display priorities of the target device, respectively; transmitting, by the management apparatus, pieces of identification information and device names of some or all of the target devices to the terminal apparatus, the pieces of identification information and the device names being included in the overall management table; and displaying, by the terminal apparatus, the device names associated with the received pieces of identification information, according to corresponding display priority levels included in the local table. 
     According to yet another embodiment, a control program is a control program used by a management apparatus that can communicate with a plurality of target devices, the plurality of target devices being management targets. The control program causes a computer to function as: a management storage unit that stores an overall management table including pieces of identification information and device names, the identification information being information by which the target device can be identified, and the device name being a name of the target device set by a user; and a management control unit that controls communication with a terminal apparatus that controls the target devices through communication with the computer. The management control unit transmits pieces of identification information and device names of some or all of the target devices to the terminal apparatus, the pieces of identification information and the device names being included in the overall management table. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing an overview of a configuration of a device control system (hereinafter, abbreviated as system) according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram showing an overview of another example of a configuration of a system according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing an example of an apparatus configuration of a management apparatus included in the system. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing an example of an apparatus configuration of a terminal apparatus included in the system. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram showing a summary of operation of the system performed when an electrical device is controlled using the terminal apparatus. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram showing a summary of operation of the system performed when the electrical device is controlled using the terminal apparatus. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the terminal apparatus. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the terminal apparatus. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the terminal apparatus. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram showing an example of an overall management table. 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram showing an example of a local table. 
         FIG. 12  is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the management apparatus. 
         FIG. 13  is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the terminal apparatus. 
         FIG. 14  is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the terminal apparatus. 
         FIG. 15  is a diagram showing a summary of operation of the system performed when a device name is registered in the overall management table. 
         FIG. 16  is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the terminal apparatus. 
         FIG. 17  is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the terminal apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Problems to be Solved by the Present Disclosure 
     In the recent widespread of terminal apparatuses such as smartphones and tablet terminals, there may be a case in which a plurality of users present in a facility control devices installed in the facility, using terminal apparatuses carried by the respective users. For example, a case is assumed in which each of a plurality of family members controls home appliances in a home, using a smartphone carried by each family member. In this case, performing, by each of the plurality of users, an operation for registering target devices which are devices serving as control targets in an application, e.g., an operation for setting names of respective target devices and registering the names in an application, is not efficient because the same operation overlaps between the plurality of users. 
     In addition, since terminal apparatuses such as smartphones and tablet terminals have a small screen size, the amount of information that can be displayed is restricted. On the other hand, since there is an increasing trend in the number of energy consumption devices installed in facilities such as standard homes, there may be a case in which information indicating all devices in a facility cannot be displayed on one screen or it becomes difficult to see desired information if all are displayed. In that case, devices that are highly likely to be controlled may be displayed on a priority basis, but there is a case in which the display priorities of target devices differ between the users. Hence, if all of a plurality of terminal apparatuses included in the system display devices by applying the same priorities, then operations may be difficult for some users. 
     Advantageous Effects of the Present Disclosure 
     According to the present disclosure, ease of operation for when a plurality of devices are controlled using a terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     Summary of an Embodiment 
     First, the content of an embodiment of the present disclosure is listed and described. 
     A device control system included in the embodiment is a device control system including: a management apparatus that can communicate with a plurality of target devices, the plurality of target devices being management targets; and one or more terminal apparatuses that can communicate with the management apparatus and that control the target devices through communication with the management apparatus. The management apparatus includes: a management storage unit that stores an overall management table including pieces of identification information and device names, the identification information being information by which the target device can be identified, and the device name being a name of the target device set by a user; and a management control unit that controls communication with the terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus includes: a terminal storage unit that stores a local table including the pieces of identification information of the target devices; and display priority levels indicating display priorities of the target devices, respectively; a display unit that displays the device names of the target devices; and a terminal control unit that controls communication with the management apparatus and display performed by the display unit. The management control unit transmits pieces of identification information and device names of some or all of the target devices to the terminal apparatus, the pieces of identification information and the device names being included in the overall management table, and the terminal control unit controls the display unit to display the device names associated with the received pieces of identification information, according to corresponding display priority levels included in the local table. 
     In a terminal apparatus included in the device control system, device names included in the overall management table stored in the management apparatus are displayed according to display priority levels included in a local table stored on a per-terminal-apparatus basis. Hence, an operation for registering a device name by individual terminal apparatuses is not required. By this, the operation efficiency of a user of each terminal apparatus can be improved. In addition, since device names are displayed in a display format determined based on display priority levels set on a per-terminal-apparatus basis, device names can be displayed in a user&#39;s desired display format. By this, ease of operation by a user who controls target devices using a terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     Preferably, when the terminal control unit accepts a user operation for setting a device name of a target device, the terminal control unit transmits the device name together with identification information of the target device to the management apparatus. 
     By this, a device name of a target device is registered in the overall management table by a request from any of the terminal apparatuses included in the device control system. Hence, an operation for requesting registration of a device name by individual terminal apparatuses is not required. By this, the operation efficiency of a user of each terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     Preferably, the device control system includes two or more terminal apparatuses, and the management control unit transmits identification information and a device name of a target device to a second terminal apparatus, the identification information and the device name being received from a first terminal apparatus and registered in the overall management table. 
     By this, a device name is registered in the overall management table by a request from any of the terminal apparatuses included in the device control system, and other terminal apparatuses included in the device control system can also use the device name for display. Hence, an operation for registering a device name by individual terminal apparatuses is not required. By this, the operation efficiency of a user of each terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     Preferably, the device control system includes two or more terminal apparatuses, and different display priority levels can be associated with pieces of identification information of identical target devices in a first local table stored in a terminal storage unit of a first terminal apparatus and a second local table stored in a terminal storage unit of a second terminal apparatus. 
     Hence, device names can be displayed using display priority levels that differ between the terminal apparatuses. By this, by setting higher display priority levels for devices that are highly likely to serve as target devices of a user who controls target devices using a terminal apparatus, a user&#39;s desired target device can be quickly found. By this, ease of operation by a user of each terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     Preferably, the local table further includes pieces of information identifying types into which the target devices are classified, and the display priority levels in the local table include first priority levels, the first priority levels being display priorities of a plurality of target devices classified into a same type. 
     By this, it becomes possible to display device names using display priorities set on a per-type basis. Hence, a user can quickly find his/her desired target device. By this, the operation efficiency of a user of each terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     Preferably, the display priority levels in the local table further include second priority levels, the second priority levels being display priorities of a plurality of target devices classified into different types. 
     By this, it becomes possible to display device names using display priorities set regardless of type. Even if target devices are of different types, for example, by setting display priorities for devices that are highly likely to serve as target devices to be controlled by a user, the user can more quickly find his/her desired target device. By this, the operation efficiency of a user of each terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     Preferably, when the terminal control unit accepts a user operation for instructing to register a new device name in the overall management table, the terminal control unit requests the management apparatus for the registration, in response to the request, the management control unit transmits identification information of one or more corresponding target devices to the terminal apparatus having made the request, and the terminal control unit controls the display unit to display a screen for accepting setting of the new device name, based on the received identification information. 
     By this, a device name is registered in the overall management table by a request from any of the terminal apparatuses included in the device control system. Hence, an operation for registering a device name by individual terminal apparatuses is not required. By this, the operation efficiency of a user of each terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     Preferably, in response to the request, the management control unit searches for a target device whose identification information is not registered in the overall management table, as the corresponding target device, and registers identification information of the target device in the overall management table. 
     By this, only by a user of a terminal apparatus providing an instruction to the terminal apparatus, newly installed target devices are automatically searched for by the management apparatus. By this, the operation efficiency of a user of each terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     Preferably, the overall management table further includes information identifying registration order of the identification information in the overall management table, in response to the request, the management control unit transmits the identification information and information of the corresponding target device to the terminal apparatus, the information identifying the registration order, and the terminal control unit controls the display unit such that information based on the received identification information is displayed on the screen for accepting setting of the device name, according to the registration order. 
     By this, pieces of information based on pieces of identification information of corresponding target devices are displayed in display order that follows the order in which the pieces of identification information are registered in the overall management table. Hence, even if pieces of information about a plurality of target devices are displayed on a screen for accepting setting of a device name, a user can easily find a target device serving as a target for setting a device name. By this, the operation efficiency of a user of each terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     Preferably, when the terminal control unit accepts a predefined user operation on the screen for accepting setting of the device name, the terminal control unit requests the management apparatus to allow a target device specified by the user operation to perform a predefined informing action. 
     By this, when a user of a terminal apparatus does not know correspondence between information and a target device which are displayed on a screen for accepting setting of a device name, the user can understand the correspondence by identifying an informing action by the target device. 
     A management apparatus included in the embodiment is a management apparatus that can communicate with a plurality of target devices, the plurality of target devices being management targets. The management apparatus includes: a management storage unit that stores an overall management table including pieces of identification information and device names, the identification information being information by which the target device can be identified, and the device name being a name of the target device set by a user; and a management control unit that controls communication with a terminal apparatus that controls the target devices through communication with the management apparatus. The management control unit transmits pieces of identification information and device names of some or all of the target devices to the terminal apparatus, the pieces of identification information and the device names being included in the overall management table. 
     Since the overall management table is stored in the management apparatus and the device names of some or all of the target devices are provided to a terminal apparatus, device names do not need to be registered on a per-terminal-apparatus basis. Namely, an operation for registering a device name by individual terminal apparatuses is not required. By this, the operation efficiency of a user of each terminal apparatus can be improved. In addition, since device names are displayed in a display format determined based on display priority levels stored on the terminal apparatus side, device names can be displayed in a display format desired by a user who performs control. By this, ease of operation by a user who controls target devices using a terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     A device control method included in the embodiment is a device control method performed by a device control system including a management apparatus that can communicate with a plurality of target devices, the plurality of target devices being management targets; and a terminal apparatus that can communicate with the management apparatus and that controls the target devices through communication with the management apparatus. The device control method includes the steps of; storing, by the management apparatus, an overall management table including pieces of identification information and device names, the identification information being information by which the target device can be identified, and the device name being a name of the target device set by a user; storing, by the terminal apparatus, a local table including the pieces of identification information of the target devices; and display priority levels indicating display priorities of the target device, respectively; transmitting, by the management apparatus, pieces of identification information and device names of some or all of the target devices to the terminal apparatus, the pieces of identification information and the device names being included in the overall management table; and displaying, by the terminal apparatus, the device names associated with the received pieces of identification information, according to corresponding display priority levels included in the local table. 
     In a terminal apparatus included in the device control system, device names included in the overall management table stored in the management apparatus are displayed in a display format determined based on display priority levels included in a local table which is stored on a per-terminal-apparatus basis. Hence, an operation for registering a device name by individual terminal apparatuses is not required. By this, the operation efficiency of a user of each terminal apparatus can be improved. In addition, since device names are displayed in a display format determined based on display priority levels set on a per-terminal-apparatus basis, device names can be displayed in a display format desired by a user who performs. By this, ease of operation by a user who controls target devices using a terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     A control program included in the embodiment is a control program used by a management apparatus that can communicate with a plurality of target devices, the plurality of target devices being management targets. The control program causes a computer to function as: a management storage unit that stores an overall management table including pieces of identification information and device names, the identification information being information by which the target device can be identified, and the device name being a name of the target device set by a user; and a management control unit that controls communication with a terminal apparatus that controls the target devices through communication with the computer. The management control unit transmits pieces of identification information and device names of some or all of the target devices to the terminal apparatus, the pieces of identification information and the device names being included in the overall management table. 
     Since the overall management table is stored in the computer that is caused to function as the management apparatus by the control program and the device names of some or all of the target devices are provided to a terminal apparatus, device names do not need to be registered on a per-terminal-apparatus basis. Namely, an operation for registering a device name by individual terminal apparatuses is not required. By this, the operation efficiency of a user of each terminal apparatus can be improved. In addition, since device names are displayed in a display format determined based on display priority levels stored on the terminal apparatus side, device names can be displayed in a display format desired by a user who performs control. By this, ease of operation by a user who controls target devices using a terminal apparatus can be improved. 
     DETAILS OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Preferred embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts and components are denoted by the same reference signs. 
     First Embodiment 
     &lt;System Configuration&gt; 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram showing an overview of a configuration of an electrical device control system (hereinafter, abbreviated as system) according to the present embodiment. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the system includes a plurality of energy consumption devices which are installed in a facility such as a standard home or an office. Namely, the system includes, for example, air conditioners  501 A,  501 B, and  501 C and, for example, light fixtures  503 A,  503 B, and  503 C, as a plurality of energy consumption devices (e.g., electrical devices). Furthermore, the system includes a management apparatus  100  whose management targets are those devices; and a plurality of terminal apparatuses  300 A,  300 B, and  300 C carried by users. The air conditioners  501 A,  501 B, and  501 C are also representatively referred to as air conditioners  501 . The light fixtures  503 A,  503 B, and  503 C are also representatively referred to as light fixtures  503 . In addition, the air conditioners  501 A,  501 B, and  501 C and the light fixtures  503 A,  503 B, and  503 C are also representatively referred to as electrical devices  500 . In addition, the plurality of terminal apparatuses  300 A,  300 B, and  300 C are also representatively referred to as terminal apparatuses  300 . 
     The electrical devices  500  which are examples of energy consumption devices are classified into electric water heaters, storage batteries, electric vehicles, television receivers, surveillance cameras, and the like, in addition to the exemplified air conditioners  501  and light fixtures  503 . The electrical devices  500  each have a normal electrical device function and a function of communicating with the management apparatus  100 . Communication between the electrical devices  500  and the management apparatus  100  is, for example, wireless communication complying with standards such as a wireless local area network (LAN) and ZigBee (registered trademark). 
     When an electrical device  500  receives a control signal instructing to set and change parameters such as ON/OFF, a set temperature, and a mode of operation from the management apparatus  100 , the electrical device  500  sets or changes the ON/OFF, set temperature, or mode of operation thereof according to the control signal. In addition, when the electrical device  500  receives a signal requesting the above-described parameters from the management apparatus  100 , the electrical device  500  transmits parameters such as set values thereof to the management apparatus  100  according to the signal. 
     Each terminal apparatus  300  is an apparatus that can be carried by a user and is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, etc. The terminal apparatus  300  also has a function of communicating with the management apparatus  100 . Communication between the terminal apparatus  300  and the management apparatus  100  is, for example, short-distance wireless communication such as a wireless LAN. 
     Note that in addition to the case of performing direct wireless communication between the terminal apparatuses  300  and the management apparatus  100  as shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, when, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the terminal apparatuses  300  are present outside a range in which the terminal apparatuses  300  can wirelessly communicate with the management apparatus  100  such as a case in which the users carrying the terminal apparatuses  300  are out, the terminal apparatuses  300  and the management apparatus  100  may communicate with each other through a server  700 . In this case, the management apparatus  100  and the server  700  communicate with each other through a communication network such as the Internet. When a terminal apparatus  300  has a telephone function, the terminal apparatus  300  and the server  700  communicate with each other, for example, using the telephone line. By enabling such communication, even when a terminal apparatus  300  is out of the range in which the terminal apparatus  300  can wirelessly communicate with the management apparatus  100 , the terminal apparatus  300  can be connected to the system. 
     &lt;Apparatus Configurations&gt; 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing an example of an apparatus configuration of the management apparatus  100 . With reference to  FIG. 3 , the management apparatus  100  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  10  which is a management control unit for controlling the entire apparatus; a read only memory (ROM)  11  for storing programs which are executed by the CPU  10 , and various types of information; a random access memory (RAM)  12  serving as a work area used when a program is executed by the CPU  10 ; a first communication unit  13  for controlling communication with the terminal apparatuses  300 ; and a second communication unit  14  for controlling communication with the electrical devices  500 . Note that in addition to the configuration shown in  FIG. 3 , the management apparatus  100  may further include input apparatuses such as buttons and display apparatuses such as a display and a lamp. 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing an example of an apparatus configuration of the terminal apparatus  300 . With reference to  FIG. 4 , the terminal apparatus  300  includes a CPU  30  which is a terminal control unit for controlling the entire apparatus; a ROM  31  for storing programs which are executed by the CPU  30 , and various types of information; a RAM  32  serving as a work area used when a program is executed by the CPU  30 ; a communication unit  33  for controlling communication with the management apparatus  100 ; a display  34 ; and a control panel  35 . Note that the configuration shown in  FIG. 4  is a configuration of a general computer. Hence, when a terminal apparatus  300  is, for example, a smartphone or a tablet terminal, the terminal apparatus  300  may have a configuration for functioning as those apparatuses, in addition to the configuration shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     &lt;Summary of Operation&gt; 
     In the system, a user can control (e.g., remote control) the electrical devices  500  using a terminal apparatus  300  as a controller for the electrical devices  500 .  FIGS. 5 and 6  are diagrams showing, as an example, a summary of operation of the system for controlling an air conditioner  501  installed in the facility by the user using the terminal apparatus  300 .  FIGS. 7 to 9  are diagrams showing examples of screens displayed on the terminal apparatus  300 . Operation of  FIG. 5  starts when the terminal apparatus  300  accepts a user operation instructing to display a list of electrical devices (device list) installed in the facility. Note that the instruction to display a device list can be provided, for example, on a home screen of a system for managing the power of various types of electrical devices installed in a facility, which is called Home Energy Management System (HEMS), etc. In other words, the system may be a system included in HEMS, and a home screen thereof may include a button for instructing to display a device list to control each electrical device. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , when the above-described user operation is performed on the terminal apparatus  300 , a device list is displayed on the display  34  of the terminal apparatus  300  (step S 11 ).  FIG. 7  is a diagram showing an exemplary screen for a device list. With reference to  FIG. 7 , the device list screen displayed on the display  34  includes an area  341  for displaying a list of types of electrical devices  500  installed in the facility. In the area  341  there are displayed, as the types of electrical devices  500 , for example, an icon  341 A representing an air conditioner, an icon  341 B representing a light fixture, an icon  341 C representing an electric water heater, an icon  341 D representing a storage battery, and an icon  341 E representing an electric vehicle. Information for displaying these icons, i.e., information indicating the types of electrical devices  500  installed in the facility, may be p restored in a memory such as the ROM  31  of the terminal apparatus  300 . In this case, at step S 11 , the CPU  30  reads the information from the memory and can perform display of  FIG. 7 . Alternatively, at step S 11 , the terminal apparatus  300  may request the management apparatus  100  for information indicating the types of electrical devices  500  installed in the facility, and perform display of  FIG. 7  based on the information obtained from the management apparatus  100 . 
     When, as shown in  FIG. 7 , for example, an air conditioner is selected from the device list, i.e., when the icon  341 A is touched (step S 12 ), information for displaying a list of the air conditioners  501  among the electrical devices  500  installed in the facility is requested from the terminal apparatus  300  to the management apparatus  100  (step S 13 ). 
     The management apparatus  100  stores an overall management table in a memory such as the ROM  11 . In other words, a storage area for storing the overall management table is prepared in the memory of the management apparatus  100 .  FIG. 10  is a diagram showing an example of an overall management table. With reference to  FIG. 10 , the overall management table includes identification information (ID) for each electrical device  500  installed in the facility; and a device name which is a name set by a user for the electrical device  500 . Preferably, the overall management table includes a type into which the electrical device  500  is classified. Furthermore, the overall management table may include, for example, a target flag (TRUE/FALSE) which is information indicating whether the electrical device is a control target of the terminal apparatuses  300  included in the system; connection destination information for the second communication unit  14 ; currently set parameters such as ON/OFF, a set temperature, and a mode of operation; and information unique to the device such as the media access control (MAC) address, serial number, and manufacturing number of the electrical device  500 . 
     In response to the request at the above-described step S 13 , the management apparatus  100  extracts the pieces of identification information and device names of the air conditioners  501  from the overall management table of  FIG. 10  (step S 31 ). When, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the overall management table includes the above-described target flags, at step S 31 , the pieces of identification information and devices names of air conditioners  501  that are air conditioners  501  and that are control targets (TRUE) of the terminal apparatuses  300  included in the system are extracted from the memory. The extracted pieces of identification information and device names for the respective corresponding air conditioners  501  are transmitted as device information from the management apparatus  100  to the terminal apparatus  300  (step S 32 ). 
     When the above-described device information is obtained from the management apparatus  100 , a list of a plurality of electrical devices  500  serving as candidate devices which are candidates for electrical devices serving as control targets of the terminal apparatus  300  is displayed in list format on the display  34  of the terminal apparatus  300  (step S 14 ).  FIG. 8  is a diagram showing an exemplary screen for an air conditioner list showing air conditioners serving as candidate devices to be controlled by the terminal apparatus  300 , which is displayed on the display  34  of the terminal apparatus  300  at the above-described step S 14  when the type “air conditioner” is selected in the device list of  FIG. 7 . With reference to  FIG. 8 , the air conditioner list displayed on the display  34  includes an area  342  for displaying a list of the device names of the air conditioners  501  that are installed in the facility and that serve as candidate devices to be controlled by the terminal apparatus  300 . In the area  342  there are displayed, for example, an icon  342 A representing the device name “living room” of a given air conditioner; an icon  342 B representing the device name “Western-style room” of another air conditioner; and an icon  342 C representing the device name “bedroom” of still another air conditioner. 
     For example, when device information from the management apparatus  100  is device information of an air conditioner  501  that is not registered in a local table of the terminal apparatus  300 , at step S 14 , an icon representing a device name of the air conditioner  501  is displayed at the lowest priority on the air conditioner list. That is, in the terminal apparatus  300 , when device information obtained from the management apparatus  100  after selecting a given type from the device list of  FIG. 7  is device information of an electrical device  500  that is not registered in the local table ( FIG. 11 ), the electrical device  500  is newly registered in (added to) the local table at the lowest (or highest) position in the display order of electrical devices  500  of the same type as the electrical device  500  which are already registered in the local table. 
     In addition, for example, when device information of an air conditioner  501  registered in the local table of the terminal apparatus  300  is not included in the device information from the management apparatus  100 , at step S 14 , an icon representing a device name of the air conditioner  501  is not displayed in the air conditioner list. That is, in the terminal apparatus  300 , when device information of an electrical device  500  registered in the local table ( FIG. 11 ) is not included in device information obtained from the management apparatus  100  after selecting a given type from the device list of  FIG. 7 , the electrical device  500  is deleted from the local table. In addition, the electrical device  500  is not displayed on the terminal apparatus  300 . 
     To display the air conditioner list of  FIG. 8  on a screen, at step S 14 , the terminal apparatus  300  determines display priorities of the icons  342 A to  342 C to be displayed in the area  342 . As an example, the display priorities are display positions, i.e., display order. Other examples of the display priorities include the order of magnitude of display size and the order of display colors (a high-visibility color, a low-visibility color, etc.). In the case of the example of  FIG. 8 , the icon  342 A has the highest display priority, followed by the icon  342 B and then the icon  342 C. Namely, at step S 14 , the terminal apparatus  300  determines the display order, in the area  342 , of the device names “living room”, “Western-style room”, and “bedroom” to be displayed in the air conditioner list, and displays the icons  342 A to  342 C in a display format that follows the order (e.g., in order from top). 
     To determine the display order in the terminal apparatus  300 , the terminal apparatus  300  has a local table that is stored in a memory such as the ROM  31  on a per-terminal-apparatus- 300  basis. In other words, a storage area for storing a local table for determining display order in the terminal apparatus  300  is prepared in the memory of the terminal apparatus  300 .  FIG. 11  is a diagram showing an example of a local table. With reference to  FIG. 11 , the local table includes identification information (ID) of an electrical device  500  serving as a candidate device in the terminal apparatus  300 ; and a display priority, i.e., a display priority level indicating display order, of the electrical device  500 . By the display order being associated with the IDs in the local table, electrical devices  500  are uniquely identified in the overall management table ( FIG. 10 ) stored in the memory of the management apparatus  100  and in the local table ( FIG. 11 ) stored in the memory of the terminal apparatus  300 , which are used upon performing display on the terminal apparatus  300 . Hence, accurate display can be implemented while the amount of information stored in the memories of both devices is suppressed. Preferably, the local table further includes the type of an electrical device  500  serving as a candidate device. By the local table including types for each electrical device  500 , display order can be defined for each type. Hence, as will be described later, the device names of electrical devices  500  can be displayed in display order defined for each type. This enables the user of the terminal apparatus  300  to quickly find his/her desired electrical device  500 . 
     Note that the local table differs between the terminal apparatuses  300 . Namely, different display orders are defined for the same electrical device  500  in a local table stored in the memory of the terminal apparatus  300 A and a local table stored in the memory of the terminal apparatus  300 B. Hence, the display order of electrical devices  500  serving as candidates for a control target at the above-described step S 14  differs between the terminal apparatuses  300 . The display order can be set or changed by a user operation on the terminal apparatus  300  as will be described later. For example, higher display priorities may be set for electrical devices with a higher frequency of control performed on the terminal apparatus  300  by the user of the terminal apparatus  300 . In addition, as another example, higher display priorities may be set for electrical devices with a smaller amount of energy consumption. By thus allowing the terminal apparatuses  300  to have different display orders, electrical devices  500  serving as candidates for a control target are allowed to be displayed in the order desired by the user of each terminal apparatus  300 . For example, by displaying, as described above, electrical devices  500  in the order in which the electrical devices  500  are frequently controlled by the user using the terminal apparatus  300 , electrical devices  500  that are highly likely to be selected by the user are displayed at upper positions. In this case, the possibility that the user can find his/her desired electrical device  500  without having to check the display further down increases. That is, ease of operation by the user is improved. 
     At step S 14 , the terminal apparatus  300  reads IDs and device names for each air conditioner  501  from the device information of the air conditioners  501  transmitted from the management apparatus  100  at step S 32 . In addition, the terminal apparatus  300  reads the display order of each air conditioner  501  from the local table of  FIG. 11  which is stored in the memory of the terminal apparatus  300 , based on the IDs of the air conditioners  501 . That is, the terminal apparatus  300  associates the device names and the display order, using the IDs registered in both the overall management table and the local table. Then, the terminal apparatus  300  displays the icons  342 A to  342 C representing the device names of the respective air conditioners in the area  342  in list format, according to the display order read from the local table. 
     Specifically, with reference to  FIG. 10 , at the above-described step S 32 , as the device information of the air conditioners  501 , the ID “1” and the device name “living room”, the ID “3” and the device name “Western-style room”, and the ID “5” and the device name “bedroom” are transmitted from the management apparatus  100  to the terminal apparatus  300 . At the above-described step S 14 , the terminal apparatus  300  having the local table of  FIG. 11  stored therein determines the display order of the air conditioners  501  such that ID “1”→ID “3”→ID “5”, by referring to the local table of  FIG. 11 . Then, the terminal apparatus  300  displays the icon  342 A for the device name “living room”,→the icon  342 B for “Western-style room”,→the icon  342 C “bedroom” in list format, for example, from top in the area  342  of the display screen, according to the above-described order of IDs ( FIG. 8 ). 
     Note that, as described above, the display order of electrical devices  500  defined in the local table of  FIG. 11  may be allowed to be changed according to a user operation on the terminal apparatus  300  storing the local table. For example, on the list display screen ( FIG. 8 ) in which the icons  342 A to  342 C are displayed in display order defined in the local table, when a user operation for dragging any of the icons  342 A to  342 C to switch its position in display order to the position of another icon is accepted, the local table may be updated such that the display order set for the air conditioners  501  is changed to one according to the user operation. 
     For example, when the icon  342 B representing the air conditioner in the “bedroom” is dragged above the icon  342 A representing the air conditioner in the “living room” on the terminal apparatus  300  having the list display screen of  FIG. 8  displayed thereon, in the local table of  FIG. 11  stored in the terminal apparatus  300 , the position in display order of the air conditioner with the ID “1” (the device name “living room”) is changed from 2 to 1, and the position in display order of the air conditioner with the ID “3” (the device name “Western-style room”) is changed from 1 to 2. 
     When, as shown in  FIG. 8 , for example, the air conditioner in the “living room” is selected from the air conditioner list, i.e., when the icon  342 A is touched (step S 15 ), information for displaying a control screen used to control the air conditioner in the “living room” is requested from the terminal apparatus  300  to the management apparatus  100  (step S 16 ). At step S 16 , parameters representing the ON/OFF state and states such as a mode of operation and a set temperature of the air conditioner to be displayed on the control screen are requested. 
     The management apparatus  100  having received the request requests the corresponding air conditioner  501  for parameters representing the above-described states (step S 33 ), and obtains the parameters from the air conditioner  501  (step S 51 ). By this, the management apparatus  100  can send, as a response, the latest parameters of the corresponding air conditioner  501  to the terminal apparatus  300 . Alternatively, when the management apparatus  100  communicates with the air conditioners  501  at predetermined timing and stores parameters, etc., in the memory, in response to the request from the terminal apparatus  300 , the management apparatus  100  may read parameters of a corresponding air conditioner  501  from the memory. By this, an increase in communication in the system can be suppressed. 
     The management apparatus  100  transmits the parameters representing the states of the corresponding air conditioner  501  to the terminal apparatus  300 , in response to the request from the terminal apparatus  300  (step S 34 ). The terminal apparatus  300  displays a control screen for controlling the selected air conditioner in the “living room”, using the information (step S 17 ). Namely, at step S 17 , the terminal apparatus  300  embeds the parameters obtained from the management apparatus  100  in a format of a control screen for air conditioners which is prestored in the memory, and thereby displays a control screen for controlling the air conditioner in the “living room”. 
       FIG. 9  is a diagram showing a specific example of a control screen for controlling the air conditioner in the “living room”. With reference to  FIG. 9 , the air conditioner control screen includes an area  343  for displaying various parameters set on the air conditioner and displaying icons that accept instructions to change the parameters. The types of icons in the area  343 , etc., are not limited to those shown in  FIG. 9 . The user can control the air conditioner in the “living room” using the control screen of  FIG. 9  displayed on the display  34  of the terminal apparatus  300 . 
     Specifically, with reference to  FIG. 6 , when the user changes a parameter of the air conditioner  501 , e.g., changing the temperature of the air conditioner in the “living room”, the user performs an operation on the control screen of  FIG. 9 . When the terminal apparatus  300  accepts a user operation on the control screen of  FIG. 9  (step S 18 ), the terminal apparatus  300  requests the management apparatus  100  for the instructed change (step S 19 ). 
     When the management apparatus  100  accepts the above-described request from the terminal apparatus  300 , the management apparatus  100  outputs a control signal for making the instructed parameter change to the corresponding air conditioner  501  and thereby requests a change in setting (step S 35 ). 
     The air conditioner  501  changes the set parameter according to the control signal from the management apparatus  100  (step S 52 ). Preferably, when the air conditioner  501  has changed the parameter according to the control signal from the management apparatus  100 , the air conditioner  501  notifies the management apparatus  100  of the result of the change (step S 53 ). More preferably, the notification includes the value of the changed parameter. The management apparatus  100  having received the notification preferably notifies the terminal apparatus  300  having made the above-described request of the result of the change (step S 36 ). On the terminal apparatus  300  having received the notification, preferably, is displayed the fact that the change in the parameter of the air conditioner in the “living room” has been completed (step S 20 ). More preferably, the changed parameter is displayed on a screen displayed on the terminal apparatus  300  at step S 20 . By this, the user having controlled the air conditioner in the “living room” using the terminal apparatus  300  can confirm by the display performed on the terminal apparatus  300  at step S 20  that the instructed change in parameter, such as a set temperature, of the air conditioner  501  has been made. 
     &lt;Functional Configuration&gt; 
       FIG. 12  is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the management apparatus  100  for performing the above-described operation. Each function of  FIG. 12  is implemented mainly by the CPU  10  of the management apparatus  100  by the CPU  10  reading and executing a program stored in the ROM  11 . However, at least one of the functions may be implemented by other hardware such as a dedicated electrical circuit which is not shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 12 , the CPU  10  of the management apparatus  100  includes an instruction input unit  101  for accepting instruction input from a terminal apparatus  300  by communication with the terminal apparatus  300  by the first communication unit  13 ; an extracting unit  102  for extracting the IDs and device names of corresponding electrical devices  500  from a table storage unit  111  which is a storage area of the ROM  11  and which stores the overall management table shown in  FIG. 10 ; a transmitting unit  103  for transmitting the IDs and device names of the electrical devices  500  as device information to the terminal apparatus  300  through the first communication unit  13 ; a requesting unit  104  for requesting an electrical device  500  for information, a change in settings, etc., through the second communication unit  14 ; and a response input unit  105  for accepting input of a response from the electrical device  500  through the second communication unit  14 . 
     When the instruction input from the terminal apparatus  300  is a request for information for displaying a device list for a selected type (e.g., an air conditioner), the instruction input unit  101  passes the request to the extracting unit  102 . The extracting unit  102  extracts the IDs and device names of electrical devices  500  of the selected type from the overall management table ( FIG. 10 ) stored in the table storage unit  111 . When, as described above, the overall management table includes target flags, the extracting unit  102  extracts the IDs and device names of electrical devices  500  that are classified into the specified type and that are control targets (TRUE), from the overall management table. The extracted IDs and device names of the electrical devices  500  are transmitted as device information to the terminal apparatus  300  by the transmitting unit  103 . 
     When the instruction input from the terminal apparatus  300  is a request for information for displaying a control screen for a selected electrical device  500 , the instruction input unit  101  passes the request to the requesting unit  104 . The requesting unit  104  requests the selected electrical device  500  for parameters representing an ON/OFF state and states such as a mode of operation and a set temperature which are to be displayed on the control screen. 
     When the instruction input from the terminal apparatus  300  is an instruction to change a parameter of a selected electrical device  500 , the instruction input unit  101  passes the instruction to the requesting unit  104 . The requesting unit  104  requests the selected electrical device  500  to make the instructed parameter change. 
     When the response from the electrical device  500  is parameters representing an ON/OFF state and states such as a set mode of operation and a set temperature, the response input unit  105  passes the response to the transmitting unit  103 . The transmitting unit  103  transmits the inputted information as information for displaying a control screen for the selected electrical device  500  to the terminal apparatus  300 . In addition, the response input unit  105  updates the overall management table using the inputted information. 
     When the response from the electrical device  500  is notification that a set parameter has been changed according to an instruction from the management apparatus  100 , the response input unit  105  passes the response to the transmitting unit  103 . The transmitting unit  103  transmits the inputted information as information for displaying the result of the parameter change made by an instruction from the terminal apparatus  300 , to the terminal apparatus  300 . 
       FIG. 13  is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the terminal apparatus  300 . Each function of  FIG. 13  is implemented mainly by the CPU  30  of the terminal apparatus  300  by the CPU  30  reading and executing a program stored in the ROM  31 . However, at least one of the functions may be implemented by other hardware such as a dedicated electrical circuit which is not shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 13 , the CPU  30  of the terminal apparatus  300  includes an instruction input unit  301  for accepting instruction input by a user operation performed on the control panel  35 ; a requesting unit  302  for requesting the management apparatus  100  for information for screen display, a change in the settings of an electrical device  500 , or the like, through the communication unit  33 ; an information input unit  303  for accepting input of information from the management apparatus  100  through the communication unit  33 ; and a display processing unit  304  for performing a process of displaying a screen on the display  34 . 
     When the user operation performed on the control panel  35  is an instruction for screen display, the instruction input unit  302  instructs the requesting unit  302  to request information for displaying the instructed screen. Specifically, when a type (e.g., an air conditioner) is selected from the device list ( FIG. 7 ) displayed on the display  34 , the instruction input unit  301  passes information indicating the selected type to the requesting unit  302  and instructs to request information for displaying a list of electrical devices of the type. When an electrical device  500  is selected from the list of devices of the selected type ( FIG. 8 ) displayed on the display  34 , the instruction input unit  301  passes the ID of the selected electrical device  500  to the requesting unit  302  and instructs to request information for displaying a control screen for the device. The requesting unit  302  requests the management apparatus  100  for the above-described information by passing the ID passed from the instruction input unit  302 . 
     When the user operation performed on the control panel  35  is an instruction provided on the control screen ( FIG. 9 ) for the electrical device  500  displayed on the display  34 , the instruction input unit  301  instructs the requesting unit  302  to request a change in parameter. The requesting unit  302  requests the management apparatus  100  to make the parameter change instructed by the instruction input unit  302 . 
     When the information inputted from the management apparatus  100  is the IDs and device names of electrical devices  500  classified into a selected model, i.e., device information, the information input unit  303  passes the device information to the display processing unit  304 . The display processing unit  304  displays a list of the electrical devices  500  of the selected model, using the device information. At this time, the display processing unit  304  determines the display order of the plurality of electrical devices  500  to be displayed, by referring to the local table ( FIG. 11 ) stored in a table storage unit  311  which is a storage area of the ROM  31 . Note that, when the device information inputted from the management apparatus  100  is device information of an electrical device  500  that is not registered in the local table, the display processing unit  304  displays the electrical device  500  on a list screen. In addition, the display processing unit  304  registers the electrical device  500  in the local table, and sets its position in display order to be lower than the positions in display order of other electrical devices  500  of the same type as the electrical device  500  which are stored in the local table. In addition, when device information inputted from the management apparatus  100  in response to a request for information for displaying a list of electrical devices of a selected type does not include device information of an electrical device  500  classified into the model which is registered in the local table ( FIG. 11 ), the display processing unit  304  deletes the electrical device  500  from the local table. 
     When the user operation performed on the control panel  35  is an operation performed on the screen for a list of devices of a selected type ( FIG. 8 ) and is a predefined operation such as an operation of dragging any of icons (e.g., the icons  342 A to  342 C) representing electrical devices  500 , the instruction input unit  301  changes the display order in the local table ( FIG. 11 ) based on the instruction. Specifically, the instruction input unit  301  identifies a movement destination of an icon that is instructed to move by a drag operation on the control panel  35 , and identifies a positional relationship between the moved icon and other icons currently displayed. Then, the instruction input unit  301  identifies the display order of a plurality of electrical devices  500  represented by the icons, based on the positional relationship between the icons, and changes the local table to have the identified display order. 
     Advantageous Effects of the First Embodiment 
     In the system according to the first embodiment, each terminal apparatus  300  stores a local table for determining display order used when electrical devices  500  are displayed. In addition, the management apparatus  100  stores an overall management table including IDs and device names for each electrical device  500  included in the system. When a terminal apparatus  300  displays electrical devices  500  on the display  34  of the terminal apparatus  300 , the terminal apparatus  300  obtains and uses IDs and device names from the management apparatus  100 . For example, a device name of a given electrical device  500  that is registered in the overall management table according to a user operation performed on the terminal apparatus  300 A included in the system is used when the name of the electrical device  500  is displayed as a candidate for a control target on the terminal apparatus  300 B. Hence, the users of the respective terminal apparatuses  300  do not need to individually perform an operation of registering a device name of an electrical device  500 . This eliminates overlapping of device name registration operations by the users of the terminal apparatuses  300 , enabling to improve the efficiency of operations by the users of the terminal apparatuses  300  as the entire system. 
     In addition, when the system includes a plurality of terminal apparatuses  300 , electrical devices  500  are displayed on each terminal apparatus  300  in a display format that follows display order defined in a local table which is stored on a per-terminal-apparatus- 300  basis. Hence, the display order can be customized on a per-terminal-apparatus- 300  basis. By this, ease of operation by the users of the respective plurality of terminal apparatuses  300  included in the system can be improved. 
     Second Embodiment 
     In the above-described example, on the list screen of a terminal apparatus  300  ( FIG. 8 ) there are displayed candidate devices for the terminal apparatus  300  for each selected type. As another example, for each terminal apparatus  300 , electrical devices specified by a user of the terminal apparatus  300  may be pre-registered as candidate devices for the terminal apparatus  300 , regardless of type. This case will be described as a second embodiment. Note that in the following description of the second embodiment, the same parts and components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference signs. The names and functions thereof are also the same. Therefore, description thereof is not repeated. 
     In a system according to the second embodiment, the device list which is displayed on the terminal apparatus  300  at the above-described step S 11  further includes, as shown in  FIG. 7 , an icon  341 F for instructing to display electrical devices  500  classified into the type “my favorites”. When the icon  341 F is touched, device information of all electrical devices  500  that are included in the system and that are control targets (TRUE) is requested from the terminal apparatus  300  to the management apparatus  100 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , in the system according to the second embodiment, the local table includes second priority levels (display order for my favorites) which are the display priorities of a plurality of electrical devices  500  including electrical devices  500  that are classified into “my favorites” and have different classification types, in addition to first priority levels which are the display priorities of a plurality of electrical devices  500  classified into the same type. To display a list, the terminal apparatus  300  uses pieces of device information of electrical devices  500  classified into “my favorites” among pieces of device information of electrical devices  500  obtained from the management apparatus  100 . Specifically, with reference to  FIG. 11 , device information of an air conditioner with the ID “1”, device information of a light fixture with the ID “6”, and device information of a light fixture with the ID “7” are used. 
     At the above-described step S 14 , icons representing the device names of the electrical devices  500  classified into “my favorites” are displayed in display order that follows the local table stored in the terminal apparatus  300 .  FIG. 14  is a diagram showing an exemplary screen for a list of electrical devices  500  classified into “my favorites” which is displayed on the terminal apparatus  300  according to the second embodiment. With reference to  FIG. 14 , specifically, by referring to the local table of  FIG. 11 , the display order of icons  344 A to  344 C representing the respective electrical devices  500  classified into “my favorites” is determined such that ID “1”→ID “6”→ID “7”. Then, on the terminal apparatus  300 , the icon  344 A representing the air conditioner in the name “living room”→the icon  344 B representing the light fixture in the “Western-style room”,→the icon  344 C representing the light fixture in the “bedroom” are displayed in list format in this order in an area  344  of the display screen of  FIG. 14 , according to the above-described order of IDs ( FIG. 14 ). 
     Note that for the electrical devices  500  classified into “my favorites” in the terminal apparatus  300 , too, addition or deletion may be performed according to a user operation performed on the terminal apparatus  300 . For example, when, with any of the icons  344 A to  344 C displayed on the list screen of  FIG. 14  being touched, a button  344 D for instructing to delete an electrical device  500  classified into “my favorites” which is included in the list screen of  FIG. 14  is touched, information of the selected electrical device  500  may be deleted from the local table stored in the terminal apparatus  300 . 
     In addition, for example, when a button  344 E for instructing to add an electrical device  500  classified into “my favorites” which is included in the list screen of  FIG. 14  is touched, the terminal apparatus  300  may add information of a new electrical device  500  to the local table. In this case, device information of all electrical devices  500  that are included in the system and that are control targets (TRUE) is requested from the terminal apparatus  300  to the management apparatus  100 . In the terminal apparatus  300  having obtained the device information of the corresponding electrical devices  500  from the management apparatus  100 , all of the obtained electrical devices  500  are classified into “my favorites” and registered at lower positions in display order for “my favorites” in the local table. Hence, all of the obtained electrical devices  500  are displayed on the screen for a list of electrical devices in “my favorites”. By accepting thereafter a user operation for deletion such as that described above, only those electrical devices  500  selected by user operations are classified into “my favorites”. In addition, the display order of the electrical devices classified into “my favorites” may be changed by the same process as the process of changing display order which is described in the first embodiment. 
     Advantageous Effects of the Second Embodiment 
     In the system according to the second embodiment, electrical devices  500  classified into “my favorites” are registered in a local table stored in each terminal apparatus  300 . By this, electrical devices  500  classified into “my favorites” on a per-terminal-apparatus- 300  basis are displayed on a terminal apparatus  300  in display order defined in the local table stored in the terminal apparatus  300 . Hence, for each terminal apparatus  300 , only electrical devices  500  which are candidate devices for the terminal apparatus  300  can be displayed with a simple operation, and the display order thereof can be customized. By this, ease of operation by the users of the respective plurality of terminal apparatuses  300  included in the system can be further improved. 
     Third Embodiment 
     To implement display on a terminal apparatus  300  such as that described in the first and second embodiments, an overall management table including the IDs and device names of respective electrical devices  500  such as that shown in  FIG. 10  needs to be stored in the management apparatus  100 . A process of registering a device name of a new electrical device  500  in the overall management table may be performed, for example, based on an instruction from any of the terminal apparatuses  300  included in the system, as described above. This case will be described as a third embodiment. Note that in the following description of the third embodiment, the same parts and components as those of the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference signs. The names and functions thereof are also the same. Therefore, description thereof is not repeated. 
       FIG. 15  is a diagram showing a summary of operation performed when a device name of an electrical device  500  is registered in the overall management table in a system according to the third embodiment. With reference to  FIG. 15 , in a given terminal apparatus  300 , in a state in which the device list ( FIG. 7 ) is displayed on the display  34  in the same manner as at the above-described step S 11 , when a button  341 G for instructing to add registration in the overall management table which is shown in  FIG. 7  is touched (step S 61 ), the following operation starts. Namely, when the button  341 G is touched, information for displaying, in list format, electrical devices  500  whose device names are not registered in the overall management table is requested from the terminal apparatus  300  to the management apparatus  100  (step S 62 ). 
     In response to the above-described request, the management apparatus  100  searches for electrical devices  500  newly installed in the facility. As an example, the management apparatus  100  multicasts a search signal requesting a response from electrical devices  500  (step S 81 ) and waits for responses from electrical devices  500  in the facility. When a response is received from each electrical device  500  (step S 91 ), electrical devices  500  that are not registered in the overall management table are given IDs and registered in the overall management table. At this time, the electrical devices  500  do not serve as control targets (FALSE). Preferably, the management apparatus  100  automatically gives IDs according to the order of registration in the overall management table. In this case, it can be said that the IDs given to the electrical devices  500  are information identifying the order (registration order) in which pieces of identification information of the electrical devices  500  are registered in the overall management table. In other words, the registration order of the electrical devices  500  in the overall management table is identified based on the IDs. Note that IDs may be given independently of registration order (e.g., randomly). In this case, the overall management table further includes information indicating the order in which identification information is registered in the overall management table. The information indicating registration order is, for example, information indicating a registration date and time. 
     Thereafter, pieces of device information (IDs) of electrical devices  500  whose device names are not registered are extracted from the overall management table (step S 83 ), and the pieces of device information are transmitted from the management apparatus  100  to the terminal apparatus  300  (step S 84 ). At step S 83 , pieces of device information of the electrical devices that are registered in the overall management table at the above-described step S 82  are also extracted. When device names of electrical devices  500  that do not serve as control targets (FALSE) are not registered in the overall management table, preferably, at step S 83 , pieces of device information of electrical devices  500  that are already registered without serving as control targets (registered as FALSE) are also extracted in addition to the pieces of device information of the electrical devices  500  newly registered in the overall management table. All of those electrical devices  500  correspond to electrical devices  500  whose device names are unregistered. 
     When the pieces of device information are obtained from the management apparatus  100 , a screen for a list of the electrical devices  500  whose device names are unregistered is displayed on the display  34  of the terminal apparatus  300  (step S 63 ).  FIG. 16  is a diagram showing a specific example of a screen for a list of electrical devices  500  whose device names are unregistered. With reference to  FIG. 16 , the screen for a list displayed on the display  34  includes an area  345  for displaying a list of corresponding electrical devices  500 . In the area  345  there are displayed, for example, an icon  345 A representing an electrical device given the ID “13” and classified into the type “air conditioner”, an icon  345 B representing an electrical device given the ID “12” and classified into the type “air conditioner”, an icon  345 C representing an electrical device given the ID “11” and classified into the type “electric water heater”, and an icon  345 D representing an electrical device given the ID “8” and classified into the type “light fixture”. Note that when, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the overall management table includes information unique to devices such as the MAC addresses, serial numbers, or manufacturing numbers of electrical devices  500 , the management apparatus  100  may display corresponding information unique to devices instead of IDs. That is, the identification information of an electrical device  500  is not limited to an ID, and may be other information unique to a device such as a MAC address or a serial number. 
     Preferably, to display the screen for a list of  FIG. 16 , at step S 63 , the terminal apparatus  300  determines priorities in the display order of the icons  345 A to  345 D displayed in the area  345 . As an example, the terminal apparatus  300  determines the priorities of the icons  345 A to  345 D in the order determined based on the registration order of identification information in the overall management table. In this case, for example, higher display priorities are determined for icons representing electrical devices  500  whose registration timing of identification information in the overall management table is later, i.e., electrical devices  500  whose identification information is registered in the overall management tab more recently. When, as described above, electrical devices  500  that do not serve as control targets (FALSE) of the terminal apparatuses  300  included in the system are also registered in the overall management table and device names have not been set for the electrical devices  500 , the electrical devices  500  can also serve as targets for setting device names. In this case, it is considered that electrical devices  500  whose identification information is registered in the overall management table more recently have a higher likelihood that device names, etc., are registered in the current operation. When this idea is taken, by setting higher display priorities for icons representing electrical devices  500  whose identification information is registered in the overall management table more recently, ease of operation by a user who sets a device name can be improved. When, as described above, IDs are given to each electrical device  500  according to timing at which identification information is registered in the management apparatus  100 , timing of registration in the management apparatus  100  can be determined based on the IDs. That is, as shown in  FIG. 16 , upon displaying the screen for a list, the terminal apparatus  300  displays corresponding icons in descending order of the ID of an electrical device  500 . When the overall management table includes information indicating timing at which identification information is registered, the terminal apparatus  300  displays the screen for a list based on the information. 
     In addition, preferably, the screen for a list of  FIG. 16  further includes a button  345 E for instructing a corresponding displayed electrical device  500  to perform an informing action. The informing action is an action that stimulates the user&#39;s five senses and is, for example, sounding. Other examples of the informing action include turning on of a light or turning on of the electrical device  500 . When the button  345 E is touched, the corresponding electrical device  500  is instructed to perform the action by the terminal apparatus  300  through the management apparatus  100 . By this, electrical devices  500  can be identified not only by displaying of the electrical devices  500  on the screen for a list of  FIG. 16 , but also by whether each electrical device  500  performs an instructed informing action. For example, it may be difficult to identify an electrical device  500  with only an ID being displayed on the screen for a list of  FIG. 16 . For example, when a plurality of electrical devices  500  classified into the same type are displayed, it may be difficult to figure out correspondence with each individual electrical device  500 . By allowing to perform an informing action in such a case, the user of the terminal apparatus  300  can know a corresponding electrical device  500  with a simple operation. 
     When any of the icons is selected from the screen for a list of  FIG. 16  (step S 64 ), the screen for a list of  FIG. 16  transitions to a screen for registering a device name of an electrical device  500  represented by the icon (step S 65 ). Then, on the screen, input of a device name of the electrical device  500  is accepted (step S 65 ). For example, when the icon  345 C representing the electric water heater with the ID “11” is selected on the screen for a list of  FIG. 16 , the screen for a list of  FIG. 16  transitions to a screen for registration of  FIG. 17 . With reference to  FIG. 17 , the screen for registration includes an area  346  for displaying information of an electrical device  500  to be registered, and the area  346  includes an area  346 A for accepting input of a device name of the electrical device  500 . 
     When input of characters, etc., into the area  346 A is accepted and an instruction to register this information as a device name is accepted (step S 66 ), registration of the device name is requested from the terminal apparatus  300  to the management apparatus  100  (step S 67 ). In response to the request from the terminal apparatus  300 , the management apparatus  100  adds the inputted device name to information of the corresponding electrical device  500  in the overall management table, and changes its target flag from FALSE indicating “not a control target” to TRUE indicating “a control target” (step S 83 ). 
     Note that displaying of an electrical device  500  on the terminal apparatuses  300  may be deleted according to a user operation on any of the terminal apparatuses  300  included in the system. This corresponds, for example, to a case of disposal of an installed electrical device  500 . As an example, when, on the list display screen for the type “icon” shown in  FIG. 8 , a button  342 D for instructing to delete which is shown in  FIG. 8  is touched and the icon  342 A representing the air conditioner in the “living room” is further touched, deletion of the device name is requested from the terminal apparatus  300  to the management apparatus  100 . In response to the request from the terminal apparatus  300 , the management apparatus  100  deletes the device name from information of the corresponding electrical device  500  in the overall management table, and changes its target flag from TRUE indicating “a control target” to FALSE indicating “not a control target”. By this, the electrical device  500  is no longer displayed not only on the terminal apparatus  300  on which the user operation has been performed, but also on all terminal apparatuses  300  included in the system. 
     Advantageous Effects of the Third Embodiment 
     In the system according to the third embodiment, a device name of an electrical device  500  is set and registered in the overall management table, according to a user operation on any of the terminal apparatuses  300  included in the system. The device name registered in the overall management table can be obtained by any of the terminal apparatuses  300  included in the system and used to display a screen for control. Hence, the users of the respective terminal apparatuses  300  do not need to individually perform an operation for registering a device name of an electrical device  500  in the overall management table. This eliminates overlapping of device name registration operations by the users of the terminal apparatuses  300 , enabling to improve the efficiency of operations by the users of the terminal apparatuses  300  as the entire system. 
     In addition, as with the registration of a device name, deletion of a registered device name from the overall management table is also performed according to a user operation on any of the terminal apparatuses  300  included in the system. Hence, the users of the respective terminal apparatuses  300  do not need to individually perform an operation for deleting a device name of an electrical device  500  from the overall management table. This eliminates overlapping of device name deletion operations by the users of the terminal apparatuses  300 , enabling to improve the efficiency of operations by the users of the terminal apparatuses  300  as the entire system. 
     Note that, in the above first to third embodiments, electrical devices are shown as an example of energy consumption devices. The energy consumption devices are not limited to electrical devices and may be, for example, devices that consume other energy such as town gas, hydrogen gas, or a combination thereof. Even when the management targets of the management apparatus  100  of the system are energy consumption devices that consume other energy, device control can be performed by the same processes as those described above. That is, in the present disclosure, management-target devices are not limited to only electrical devices, and may be energy consumption devices that consume other energy, or energy consumption devices that consume a combination of a plurality of other types of energy. 
     Features disclosed in the above first to third embodiments are implemented by one or more modules. For example, the features can be implemented by circuit elements and other hardware modules, or by a software module that defines processes that implement the features, or by a combination of a hardware module and a software module. 
     The above-described operation can also be provided as a program to be executed by the CPUs  30  of the terminal apparatuses  300  or the CPU  10  of the management apparatus  100 , the program being a combination of one or more software modules. Such a program can also be provided as a program product by recording the program in a computer-readable recording medium such as a flexible disk, a compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM), a ROM, a RAM, or a memory card which is attached to a computer. Alternatively, the program can also be provided by recording the program in a recording medium such as a hard disk included in a computer. In addition, the program can also be provided by downloading through a network. 
     Note that the program according to the present disclosure may be a program that calls necessary modules among program modules provided as a part of a computer&#39;s operating system (OS), in a predetermined sequence and at predetermined timing, and allows the called modules to perform processes. In that case, the program itself does not include the above-described modules, and processes are performed in cooperation with the OS. Such a program that does not include modules can also be included in the program according to the present disclosure. 
     In addition, the program according to the present disclosure may be provided incorporated in a part of another program. In that case, too, the program itself does not include modules included in the above-described another program, and processes are performed in cooperation with this another program. Such a program that is incorporated in another program can also be included in the program according to the present disclosure. 
     The program product to be provided is installed in a program storage unit such as a hard disk, and executed. Note that the program product includes the program itself and a recording medium having the program recorded therein. 
     The embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the above-described description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       10  and  30 : CPU 
       11  and  31 : ROM 
       12  and  32 : RAM 
       13 : FIRST COMMUNICATION UNIT 
       14 : SECOND COMMUNICATION UNIT 
       33 : COMMUNICATION UNIT 
       34 : DISPLAY 
       35 : CONTROL PANEL 
       341  to  346  and  346 A: AREA 
       341 A to  341 F,  342 A to  342 C,  344 A to  344 C, and  345 A to  345 D: ICON 
       341 G,  342 D,  344 D,  344 E, and  345 E: BUTTON 
       100 : MANAGEMENT APPARATUS 
       101 : INSTRUCTION INPUT UNIT 
       102 : EXTRACTING UNIT 
       103 : TRANSMITTING UNIT 
       104 : REQUESTING UNIT 
       105 : RESPONSE INPUT UNIT 
       111 : TABLE STORAGE UNIT 
       300 ,  300 A,  300 B, and  300 C: TERMINAL APPARATUS 
       301 : INSTRUCTION INPUT UNIT 
       302 : REQUESTING UNIT 
       303 : INFORMATION INPUT UNIT 
       304 : DISPLAY PROCESSING UNIT 
       311 : TABLE STORAGE UNIT 
       500 : ELECTRICAL DEVICE 
       501 ,  501 A,  501 B, and  501 C: AIR CONDITIONER 
       503 ,  503 A,  503 B, and  503 C: LIGHT FIXTURE 
       700 : SERVER