Patent Description:
In recent years, in relation to a facility equipment management apparatus (a controller for an air conditioner, for example) set on a wall of a building, there has been a demand for including the facility equipment management apparatus with a function to change the color of a screen of an image display unit and thus making the color of the screen be a color in the same range as the color of the wall.

Patent Reference <NUM> suggests an air conditioner controller equipped with light emitting diodes (LED) of three colors to illuminate a screen of an image display unit.

Patent Reference <NUM> suggests a control apparatus that includes a warm-color operation button and a cold-color operation button, adjusts color arrangement of the operation buttons, and thus makes a user feel a desired environment through visual perception.

However, the apparatus of Patent Reference <NUM> does not have a function to change the color per se of the screen of the image display unit.

The apparatus of patent literature <NUM> is capable of adjusting the colors of the operation buttons but takes no measures for appropriately setting a contrast between the screen background color and the text color. Therefore, it is difficult for the elderly, the visually-handicapped or the like to recognize characters.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems described above and has an object of providing a facility equipment management apparatus capable of changing a display image on an image display unit to have a desired tint while maintaining an appropriate contrast, by a user operation.

A facility equipment management apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus that performs communication with a facility equipment as an air conditioner and manages an operation of the facility equipment, the facility equipment management apparatus comprising:an image display unit;a display control unit that makes the image display unit display an image; an operation input unit that receives a user operation; a color palette database that stores a color palette that includes a plurality of pieces of display color data; a color palette construction unit that changes the plurality of pieces of display color data of the color palette based on color information designated on the operation input unit; and a component image database that stores component image data which indicates a display component; wherein the display control unit constructs color component image data, which is the component image data including display color data based on the component image data and the color, and makes the image display unit display the image formed by combining color component images based on color component image data, the color information designated on the operation input unit is information corresponding to a hue value, whereby the display control unit makes the image display unit display a color information setting screen, and the color information setting screen being configured to include: a sample image showing a color tone of a present image; the sample image is configured to present a sample of a tint of the image displayed in accordance with a present hue value; operation means that increases or decreases the hue value so that the user can consequently set a desired tint while visually checking a final screen image.

According to the present invention, an effect of changing a display image of an image display unit of a facility equipment management apparatus to a desired tint while maintaining an appropriate contrast can be obtained.

Facility equipment management apparatuses of embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to attached drawings. The following embodiments are merely examples, and a variety of modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention which is defined by the scope of the appending claims.

<FIG> is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> according to a first embodiment. The facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> is, for example, a remote control apparatus that is set on a wall of a building or the like and manages (controls) the operation and the state of an air conditioner as facility equipment.

As shown in <FIG>, the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> includes an image display unit <NUM> that displays an image, an operation input unit <NUM> that receives a user operation, a communication unit <NUM> that performs communication with an external device, a component image database <NUM> that stores component image data, which are data of display components such as a numeral, a character, and a symbol, and a color palette database <NUM> that stores a color palette that includes a plurality of pieces of display color data (color palette data). The facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> also includes a color palette construction unit <NUM> that changes the color palette stored in the color palette database <NUM> based on color information (information corresponding to a hue value) designated by a user operation and a display control unit <NUM> that performs processing for making the image display unit <NUM> display an image.

The display control unit <NUM> has a function of a color component image data construction unit that constructs color component image data, which is component image data including display color data based on component image data read from the component image database <NUM> and a color palette read from the color palette database <NUM>. The display control unit <NUM> also has a function to generate display image data by using input display data and color component image data and to supply them to the image display unit <NUM>.

The component image database <NUM> and the color palette database <NUM> are stored in a storage device <NUM> such as a semiconductor memory. The storage device <NUM> is, for example, a flash memory. The component image database <NUM> and the color palette database <NUM> can be stored in storage devices differing from each other.

<FIG> is a diagram showing an example of a hardware (H/W) configuration of the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM>. The facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> includes a memory <NUM> that stores a program as a software and a processor (CPU: central processing unit) <NUM> that is an information processing unit that executes the program stored in the memory <NUM>. The processor <NUM> and the memory <NUM> configure a control unit <NUM> that controls the operation of the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM>. By executing a program, the processor <NUM> can implement the display control unit <NUM> and the color palette construction unit <NUM> shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> is an appearance diagram schematically showing the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> is set in a position visible to the user on a wall surface <NUM> by securing means such as screws. The facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> includes the image display unit <NUM> such as a liquid crystal display and the operation input unit <NUM> as a user operation unit. The image display unit <NUM> and the operation input unit <NUM> can be a touch panel including an image display panel that displays an image and an operation panel that receives a user operation. The image display unit <NUM> is placed in such a manner that the user can see it, and the operation input unit <NUM> is placed in such a manner that the user can operate it. The facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> is connected through a communication line <NUM> to the air conditioner <NUM> as equipment to be managed. For example, the user can recognize a set temperature of the air conditioner <NUM> by looking at the screen of the image display unit <NUM> of the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM>. The user can also change an operation state and the set temperature of the air conditioner <NUM> by operating the operation input unit <NUM> of the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM>.

The configuration of the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> will next be described more specifically.

The image display unit <NUM> is, for example, a liquid crystal display utilizing color Thin Film Transistor (TFT) liquid crystal. The display control unit <NUM> can make the image display unit <NUM> display a present set temperature of the air conditioner, which is the facility equipment. The display control unit <NUM> can make the image display unit <NUM> display an image by using display components. The display components include numerals from <NUM> to <NUM> and unit symbols "°C", which denotes Celsius, and "°F", which denotes Fahrenheit. The image display unit <NUM> can display a color image. The display control unit <NUM> can make the image display unit <NUM> display a color information setting screen through which the user inputs a desired tint. The tint input through the color information setting screen is information on a color desired by the user and, for example, information indicating a hue. Generally, the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> has prescribed a size (as <NUM> × <NUM> or <NUM> × <NUM>, for example) conforming to a standard, and the size of the screen of the image display unit <NUM> is smaller than a size of the apparatus.

The operation input unit <NUM> can be implemented by a resistive touch panel, for example. The operation input unit <NUM> and the image display unit <NUM> are superposed, and the operation input unit <NUM> and the image display unit <NUM> form a touch panel that detects a touch input operation performed by the user with a finger. The operation input unit <NUM> detects a pressure received from the user's finger and acquires information corresponding to a position where the user touches as input content. When the user presses an operation button (operation means) as a display component displayed in a particular position of the image display unit <NUM>, the operation input unit <NUM> performs processing for the request such as "OK", "Cancel", "Forward", "Backward", "Increase", "Decrease" etc. The operation input unit <NUM> also receives, through the color information setting screen, input instructions on the tint that the user desires made on the image display unit <NUM>.

The communication unit <NUM> includes communication ICs (integrated circuits), for example. The communication unit <NUM> performs communication with the air conditioner <NUM>, which is the facility equipment to be managed. Generally, the air conditioner <NUM> includes an outdoor unit equipped with a compressor, a heat exchanger, a fan, and an electric motor, an indoor unit equipped with a heat exchanger, a fan, an electric motor, and a control circuit, and a refrigerant pipe for circulating a refrigerant between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. The air conditioner <NUM> stores the set temperature information as a target temperature of the operation. The facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> can acquire the set temperature of the air conditioner <NUM> through the communication unit <NUM>. It can also change the operation state and set temperature of the air conditioner <NUM> by sending a command from the communication unit <NUM>.

The display control unit <NUM> constructs color component image data that are used to make the image display unit <NUM> display an image. The image displayed by the image display unit <NUM> is formed by combining color component images based on color component image data. For example, the component image database <NUM> stores component image data of numerals <NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM>, symbols representing units, and the like. The display control unit <NUM> displays the color component image (as indicated by reference characters <NUM> to <NUM> in <FIG>) in a prescribed coordinate position on the screen by using color component image data (as shown in <FIG>, which will be described later) constructed by component image data (as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, which will be described later) and a color palette (as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, which will be described later) converted to a user- designated tint. In that way, the image display unit <NUM> displays the present set temperature (a combination of numeral from <NUM> to <NUM> and a unit, for example) to the user.

The color palette construction unit <NUM> constructs a color palette for implementing a tint desired by the user and stores it as a color palette database <NUM> in the storage device <NUM>. After reading an existing color palette (as shown in <FIG>, which will be described later), the color palette construction unit <NUM> converts it to HSV values (as shown in <FIG>, which will be described later), changes the HSV values (that is, performs color tone change processing) (as shown in <FIG>, which will be described later) in accordance with the tint (as shown in <FIG>, which will be described later) input by the user operation, and generates a new color palette (as shown in <FIG>, which will be described later) by using the changed HSV values.

In the component image database <NUM>, the component image data are saved. <FIG> is a drawing showing an example of the component image database <NUM> in the first embodiment. The component image data include, for example, the image data of numerals from <NUM> to <NUM> and the image data of symbols representing Celsius and Fahrenheit.

In the color palette database <NUM>, the color palette generated by the color palette construction unit <NUM> is stored. The color palette data included in the color palette database <NUM> are used by the display control unit <NUM>.

<FIG> is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a color palette stored in the color palette database <NUM> in the first embodiment.

The color palette includes a plurality of entries (<NUM> pieces in <FIG>) (that is, color palette data), and each of the plurality of entries includes a color number (<NUM> to <NUM> in <FIG>) and an RGB value that is display color data, i.e., red (R), green (G) and blue (B) values. In the example shown in <FIG>, the color number is a numerical value from <NUM> to <NUM>, and the color number is used to designate the color of a pixel of display component data. The number of color numbers is not limited to <NUM> and can be any other number.

The display color data corresponding to the color number are <NUM>-bit full-color data that indicate the color used when the pixel constituting the color component image displayed in the image display unit <NUM> is displayed. The <NUM>-bit full-color data are data combining <NUM>-bit R-color data, <NUM>-bit G-color data, and <NUM>-bit B-color data.

In <FIG>, the first entry in the color palette of a table structure is the entry of color number <NUM> and indicates the background color of the color component image. In <FIG>, the entry of color number <NUM> and subsequent entries indicate the color of the numeral or character of the color component image, the color of shade, the color of the border, and the like and can be decided arbitrarily when the color component image is structured. <FIG> shows a color palette being data of a tint in a red range (including colors in a green range), and the tint of the color palette is changed by a user operation.

<FIG> is a diagram showing an example of component image data (index values) of the component image database <NUM> shown in <FIG>. <FIG> is a diagram showing an example of color component image data (RGB values) generated based on the component image data (index values) in <FIG> and the color palette in <FIG>.

The color (RGB value, that is, Pix0 to Pix255 in <FIG>) of the color component image shown in <FIG> is determined by combining the index value (corresponding to the color number) indicated as each pixel of the component image shown in <FIG> and the entry of the display color corresponding to the color number included in the color palette shown in <FIG>. For example, index value <NUM> of a pixel in the component image data shown in <FIG> is replaced by RGB (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) that is the display color data corresponding to color number <NUM> in the color palette shown in <FIG>, and index value k (k = <NUM>, <NUM>,. , <NUM>) of a pixel in the component image data shown in <FIG> is replaced by RGB (rk, gk, bk) that is the display color data corresponding to color number k in the color palette shown in <FIG>. That is, if the display color data of the color palette are in the red range, the color component image data becomes the data of the red range; if the display color data of the color palette are in the blue range, the color component image data becomes the data of the blue range; and if the display color data of the color palette are in the green range, the color component image data becomes the data of the green range.

In summary, the component image data (index value) do not include the display color data as shown in <FIG>, but the component image data in <FIG> is combined with the display color data obtained from the color palette in <FIG> and therefore the component image data including display color data as shown in <FIG>, that is, color component image data (RGB value) is obtained.

<FIG> is a schematic drawing showing a color information setting screen of the image display unit <NUM> of the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> in the first embodiment. The color information setting screen in <FIG> includes an indicator <NUM>, which indicates the color tone corresponding to a present hue value, a Left Move button <NUM>, a Right Move button <NUM>, an OK button <NUM>, a Cancel button <NUM>, and an indicator guide <NUM>, which indicates a settable range of the color tone. The indicator guide <NUM> indicates a guidable range corresponding to a changeable range of the hue value; the indicator <NUM> can move in a direction of length within the guide range; and a hue value can be specified by a position of the indicator <NUM> within the guide range.

The indicator <NUM> and the indicator guide <NUM> are provided to help the user to intuitively know the color tone corresponding to the present hue value. The indicator <NUM> is displayed on the indicator guide <NUM> and displayed in the position corresponding to the present color tone.

The Left Move button <NUM> is an operation button for moving the indicator <NUM> leftward on the indicator guide <NUM>. The Right Move button <NUM> is an operation button for moving the indicator <NUM> rightward on the indicator guide <NUM>. The hue value after the indicator is moved is a temporary hue value and is not a determined value until the OK button <NUM> is pressed.

The OK button <NUM> is an operation button for setting the temporary hue value described above and making it the present hue value. The Cancel button <NUM> is an operation button for canceling the temporary hue value described above.

On the indicator guide <NUM>, characters such as Red, Blue, and Green indicate the color ranges of the image displayed on the image display unit <NUM>. Accordingly, the user can change (set) the tint of the image displayed on the image display unit <NUM> according to a relative position of the indicator <NUM> rather than by inputting a numerical value indicating the hue value.

<FIG> shows an operation from when the display control unit <NUM> constructs the color component screen data until when an image (e.g., a set temperature) is displayed on the image display unit <NUM> by using the constructed color component image data in the first embodiment.

In step S1, the display control unit <NUM> reads component image data from the component image database <NUM>, reads a color palette from the color palette database <NUM>, and saves them in a temporary memory. The temporary memory can be a memory (not shown) in the display control unit <NUM> or another memory such as the storage device <NUM> shown in <FIG>.

In next step S2, the display control unit <NUM> reads display color data of the color numbers corresponding to the index values concerning pixels of the read component image data from the color palette and saves display image data obtained by replacing the index values to the display color data of its corresponding color numbers, that is, color component image data, in the temporary memory.

In next step S3, the display control unit <NUM> reads a display color of the entry of color number <NUM> (first entry) from read color palette, paints the whole surface of the image display unit <NUM> with the display color of the entry of color number <NUM>, and thus the background color is set.

In next step S4, the display control unit <NUM> requests the communication unit <NUM> to acquire the present set temperature of the air conditioner <NUM>. The communication unit <NUM> communicates with the air conditioner <NUM>, acquires the present set temperature, and passes it to the display control unit <NUM>. On this occasion, the communication unit <NUM> also passes information indicating whether the unit of the set temperature is Celsius or Fahrenheit.

In next step S5, the display control unit <NUM> displays the digit in the tens place (position denoted by reference character <NUM> in <FIG>) of the set temperature. For example, if the digit in the tens place is <NUM>, data corresponding to numeral "<NUM>" is read from the color component image data obtained by the conversion in step S2 and written in a specific coordinate of the image display unit <NUM>.

In next step S6, the display control unit <NUM> displays the digit in the ones place (position denoted by reference character <NUM> in <FIG>) of the set temperature. For example, if the digit in the ones place is <NUM>, data corresponding to numeral "<NUM>" is read from the color component image data obtained by the conversion in step S2 and written in a specific coordinate of the image display unit <NUM>. In this occasion, the digit in the ones place and the digit in the tens place displayed in step S5 do not overlap with each other.

In next step S7, the display control unit <NUM> displays the unit symbol (position denoted by reference character <NUM> in <FIG>) of the set temperature. For example, if the unit is Celsius, data of "°C" is read from the image data obtained by the conversion in step S2 and written in a specific coordinate of the image display unit <NUM>. On this occasion, the image data and the digit in the ones place displayed in step S6 do not overlap with each other.

Next, the construction (generation) of a new color palette on the basis of a user-designated color tone (color information indicating a hue value and the position of the indicator <NUM> in the first embodiment) will be described. This construction of color palette is performed prior to the processing of step S1 in <FIG>.

<FIG> are diagrams showing an operation of generating the color palette by the color palette construction unit <NUM> in the first embodiment. <FIG> is a flowchart showing the operation of generating the color palette by the color palette construction unit <NUM> in the first embodiment.

In step S11, the color palette construction unit <NUM> reads a present color palette from the color palette database <NUM> (<FIG>), and in next step S12, performs HSV conversion in relation to the display colors corresponding to the color numbers to convert all the colors to HSV values (<FIG>).

In next step S13, the color palette construction unit <NUM> changes the HSV value of each color number obtained by the HSV conversion in step S12 on a basis of the user- designated color information (the position of the indicator <NUM> being the color information corresponding to a hue value) (<FIG>). Specifically, a new HSV value is calculated by changing the hue value by means of the position of the indicator <NUM> and not by changing the lightness and chroma besides.

In next step S14, the color palette construction unit <NUM> performs RGB conversion, thereby converting the HSV values obtained in step S13 to RGB values (<FIG>).

In next step S15, the color palette construction unit <NUM> writes all the converted RGB values into the color palette database <NUM>.

Referring to the new color palette, the display control unit <NUM> constructs color component image data, and displays an image on the image display unit <NUM> by using the constructed color component image data. Therefore, the image is displayed with the tint according to the color tone designated (designated color information) by the user with the indicator <NUM>.

As described above, in the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> according to the first embodiment, for the image display unit <NUM> that can display color images, the color palette construction unit <NUM> changes the display color data of a color palette in accordance with the color tone (color information corresponding to hue values) designated on the color information setting screen by the user, and the display control unit <NUM> generates a display image using color component image data generated by combining component image data and color palette data. Accordingly, the size of image data stored in the apparatus is very small and thus the user can make the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> display an image with a desired voluntary tint by a simple operation. For example, the facility equipment management apparatus <NUM> can provide a display screen that matches the room interior by making the color of the image displayed on the image display unit <NUM> be a color in the same range as the color of the wall surface <NUM>.

Moreover, as described above, the color information setting screen displays the indicator <NUM> indicating the present color value (hue value) and the indicator guide <NUM> indicating the position in the whole color range, and the user can easily change the tint of the display screen to a color in a desired color range by moving the indicator <NUM>.

Described in the first embodiment above is an example of displaying the indicator <NUM> and the indicator guide <NUM> on the color information setting screen displayed by the image display unit <NUM> and changing the tint of the screen by the user moving the indicator <NUM> on the indicator guide <NUM>.

A facility equipment management apparatus according to a second embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment in that a hue value that is an HSV value is designated on the color information setting screen as a numerical value. Except for this point, the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment. For this reason, the second embodiment will be described with reference to <FIG> also.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram showing a color information setting screen of an image display unit <NUM> of the facility equipment management apparatus according to the second embodiment. The color information setting screen includes a hue value display box <NUM> which displays a hue value, an Add button <NUM>, a Subtract button <NUM>, an OK button <NUM>, and a Cancel button <NUM> that are operation means.

The hue value display box <NUM> displays the present hue value. The present hue value is displayed as an integer value (a hue of HSV value) from <NUM> to <NUM>, for example.

The Add button <NUM> is an operation button for increasing the hue value (adding <NUM>). If the Add button <NUM> is pressed when the hue value is <NUM>, the hue value changes to <NUM>. The hue value after the addition with the Add button <NUM> is a temporary hue value and is not a determined value until the OK button <NUM> is pressed.

The Subtract button <NUM> is an operation button for decreasing the hue value (subtracting <NUM>). If the Subtract button <NUM> is pressed when the hue value is <NUM>, the hue value changes to <NUM>. The hue value after the subtraction with the Subtract button <NUM> is a temporary hue value and is not a determined value until the OK button <NUM> is pressed.

The OK button <NUM> is an operation button for setting the temporary hue value described above as the present hue value. The Cancel button <NUM> is an operation button for canceling the temporary hue value described above.

As described above, the facility equipment management apparatus according to the second embodiment displays the hue value as a numerical value and sets the hue value as the numerical value by means of addition or subtraction, so that the installer or other contractors who initialize the facility equipment can input a designated value accurately.

Described in the first and second embodiments above is the configuration that the user sets a desired color tone through the color information setting screen displayed on the image display unit <NUM> by means of the position of the indicator <NUM> or a numerical value indicating the hue value.

A facility equipment management apparatus according to a third embodiment differs from those in the first and second embodiments in that a hue difference value indicating the difference between hue values is designated as a numerical value on the color information setting screen. Except for this point, the third embodiment is the same as the first and second embodiments. For this reason, the third embodiment will be described with reference to <FIG> also.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram showing a color information setting screen of an image display unit <NUM> of the facility equipment management apparatus according to the third embodiment. The color information setting screen includes a hue difference value display box <NUM> that displays a hue difference value indicating a difference from the present hue value, an Add button <NUM>, a Subtract button <NUM>, an OK button <NUM>, and a Cancel button <NUM>.

The hue difference value display box <NUM> is provided to display an amount of change from the present hue value. The hue difference value is displayed is an integer value in a range of +<NUM> to -<NUM>.

The Add button <NUM> is an operation button for increasing the hue difference value (adding <NUM>). If the Add button <NUM> is pressed when the hue difference value is +<NUM>, the hue difference value changes to -<NUM>. The hue value after the addition with the Add button <NUM> is a temporary hue value and is not a determined value until the OK button <NUM> is pressed.

The Subtract button <NUM> is an operation button for decreasing the hue difference value (subtracting <NUM>). If the Subtract button <NUM> is pressed when the hue difference value is -<NUM>, the hue difference value changes to +<NUM>. The hue value after the subtraction with the Subtract button <NUM> is a temporary hue value and is not a determined value until the OK button <NUM> is pressed.

The OK button <NUM> is an operation button for changing the hue value based on the hue difference value and setting it as the present hue value. The new hue value is calculated as the following expression: <MAT>.

The Cancel button <NUM> is an operation button for canceling the hue difference value described above.

As described above, the facility equipment management apparatus according to the third embodiment displays a value of difference from the present hue value as a numerical value and sets the hue difference value as a numerical value by means of addition or subtraction, so that the user can easily change the tint of the display screen when adjusting the color during the operation.

Described in the first to third embodiments above is the configuration that the user sets a desired color tone through the color information setting screen displayed on the image display unit <NUM> by means of the position of the indicator <NUM>, the hue value, or the hue difference value. That is, in the first to third embodiments described above, the user who can change the color information on the color information setting screen is limited to a person who has some expertise in colors.

A facility equipment management apparatus according to a fourth embodiment differs from those of the first to third embodiments in that the hue value is designated on a color bar (hue scale), which is a color sample, on the color information setting screen. Except for this point, the fourth embodiment is the same as the first to third embodiments. For this reason, the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to <FIG> also. In the fourth embodiment, the user who does not understand the meaning of technical terms such as the hue value and the hue difference value can easily make a setting on the color information setting screen.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram showing a color information setting screen of an image display unit <NUM> of the facility equipment management apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. The color information setting screen includes an indicator <NUM> that indicates the present color tone, a Left Move button <NUM>, a Right Move button <NUM>, an OK button <NUM>, a Cancel button <NUM>, and an indicator guide <NUM> that indicates a settable color tone in the form of the color bar (hue scale). As the color bar used as the indicator guide <NUM>, a known hue scale in the HSV display color range can be used. The color bar can also be a hue ring.

The indicator <NUM> is presented to help the user understand the present color tone intuitively. The indicator <NUM> is displayed on the indicator guide <NUM> and displayed in a position corresponding to the present color tone.

The Left Move button <NUM>, the Right Move button <NUM>, the OK button <NUM>, and the Cancel button <NUM> are the same as those in the first to third embodiments.

As described above, in the facility equipment management apparatus according to the fourth embodiment, the indicator guide <NUM> is a hue scale formed to change the color such as red, blue, and green continuously and the user can select a desired color intuitively. Specifically, the guide is displayed like a color bar. Accordingly, the user can easily set a tint that the user wants to set as the tint of the display screen even if the user does not understand technical terms.

Described in the first to third embodiments above is the configuration that the user sets a desired color tone through the color information setting screen displayed on the image display unit <NUM> by means of the position of the indicator <NUM>, the hue value, or the hue difference value. That is, in the first to third embodiments described above, the user who can change the color information through the color information setting screen is limited to a person who has some expertise in colors.

A facility equipment management apparatus according to the invention as defined by the fifth embodiment differs from those in the first to fourth embodiments in that the user can determine through the information setting screen a tint the user wants to use while seeing a colored sample image of the screen that is actually displayed. Except for this point, the fifth embodiment is the same as the first to fourth embodiments. For this reason, the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to <FIG> also. In the case of the invention as defined by the fifth embodiment, it is also possible for the user who does not understand the meaning of technical terms such as the hue value and the hue difference value to make the setting easily through the color information setting screen.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram showing a color information setting screen of an image display unit <NUM> of the facility equipment management apparatus according to the invention as defined by the fifth embodiment. The color information setting screen includes a sample image <NUM> showing a color tone of a present image, an Add button <NUM>, a Subtract button <NUM>, an OK button <NUM>, and a Cancel button <NUM>. The sample image <NUM> presents a sample of a tint of an image displayed in accordance with a present hue value to the user and helps the user understand the tint intuitively.

The Add button <NUM>, the Subtract button <NUM>, the OK button <NUM>, and the Cancel button <NUM> are the same as those in the second to fourth embodiments.

As described above, the facility equipment management apparatus according to the invention as defined by the fifth embodiment immediately reflects a tint according to the hue value in a sample image and presents such sample images successively to the user each time the Add button <NUM> or the Subtract button <NUM> is pressed, and the user can consequently set a desired tint while visually checking a final screen image. Therefore, the user can easily set a tint the user wants to set as the tint of the display screen even if the user does not understand technical terms.

An example of application of the present invention is a control device, which is a facility equipment management apparatus that manages and remote-controls as air conditioner.

Claim 1:
A facility equipment management apparatus (<NUM>) that performs communication with a facility equipment as an air conditioner and manages an operation of the facility equipment, the facility equipment management apparatus (<NUM>) comprising:
an image display unit (<NUM>);
a display control unit (<NUM>) that makes the image display unit (<NUM>) display an image;
an operation input unit (<NUM>) that receives a user operation;
a color palette database (<NUM>) that stores a color palette that includes a plurality of pieces of display color data;
a color palette construction unit (<NUM>) that changes the plurality of pieces of display color data of the color palette based on color information designated on the operation input unit (<NUM>); and
a component image database (<NUM>) that stores component image data which indicates a display component;
wherein the display control unit (<NUM>) constructs color component image data, which is the component image data including display color data based on the component image data and the color, and makes the image display unit (<NUM>) display the image formed by combining color component images based on color component image data,
the color information designated on the operation input unit (<NUM>) is information corresponding to a hue value,
characterized in that the display control unit (<NUM>) makes the image display unit (<NUM>) display a color information setting screen, and the color information setting screen being configured to include:
a sample image (<NUM>) showing a color tone of a present image; the sample image (<NUM>) is configured to present a sample of a tint of the image displayed in accordance with a present hue value;
operation means (<NUM>,<NUM>) that increases or decreases the hue value so that the user can consequently set a desired tint while visually checking a final screen image.