Patent ID: 8330862

Claim:
A device linkage apparatus which causes operations of devices to be linked with each other, said device linkage apparatus comprising: a receiving unit operable to receive a broadcast signal including an application program; a program execution unit operable to execute the application program; a communication unit operable to perform communication between each of the devices, the communication complying with High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)-Consumer Electronics Control (CEC); and a conversion unit operable to perform conversion between data handled by the application program and data communicated by said communication unit, so as to allow control of the devices by the application program executed by said program execution unit, wherein the devices include a first device which outputs video and audio and a second device which outputs audio, said conversion unit is operable: to obtain, from the application program, data instructing the first device to suppress audio output and to output video, and the second device to output audio; and to convert the data into a message compliant with the HDMI-CEC, and said communication unit is operable to send the message to the first and second devices.