Patent ID: 8533365

Claim:
A program use system comprising: a first converter configured to convert device designation information for designating each electronic device in one or more first electronic devices in an existing program for controlling the first electronic devices, to category designation information for designating a category of the electronic device based on device information of the electronic device; a recorder configured to record the existing program of which the device designation information is converted; a selector configured to select a program usable for controlling one or more second electronic devices from one or more existing programs recorded based on device information of the first and second electronic devices and a controller for controlling the second electronic devices; and a second converter configured to convert category designation information in the program selected to device designation information for designating the electronic device in the second electronic devices, belonging to a category designated by the category designation information, based on the device information of the controller and the first and second electronic devices, wherein the first and second electronic devices are classified into categories that represent functions of the electronic devices hierarchically, wherein the category designated by the category designation information to which belongs the device designation information for designating the electronic device in the second electronic devices is determined by an assignment process that matches, in ascending order, a category of categories having a hierarchy designated in the program with a category of the categories corresponding to the electronic device in the second electronic devices, and wherein the program usable for controlling one or more second electronic devices comprises a plurality of commands, and selecting the program comprises (i) assigning the one or more second electronic devices to the command based on category designating information of the command and category information for the one or more second electronic devices, (ii) determining whether or not the assigned one or more second electronic devices supports a command code of the command, and (iii) determining whether or not the controller for controlling the one or more second electronic devices supports the command system of the command.