Patent ID: 8447999

Claim:
An electrical power saving system comprising at least a first apparatus, a second apparatus, and a third apparatus that are connected to each other via a communication network, each of said second apparatus and said third apparatus transmitting a video and audio signal to said first apparatus, each of said first apparatus, said second apparatus, and said third apparatus including: a transmission and reception unit configured to transmit and receive a control command via the communication network, the control command being a command by which one apparatus controls another apparatus; and an operation state switching unit configured to switch an operation state according to the control command, wherein each of said first apparatus, said second apparatus, and said third apparatus has at least a first OFF operation mode and a second OFF operation mode as operation states that differ in electricity consumption, the first OFF operation mode being an operation state in which said apparatus is in a power-OFF state but a part of said apparatus is supplied with power, and the second OFF operation mode being an operation state of lower electricity consumption than the first OFF operation mode, said operation state switching unit in said second apparatus is configured to switch the operation state of said second apparatus from the first OFF operation mode to the second OFF operation mode in the case where, when said second apparatus is in the first OFF operation mode, said transmission and reception unit in said second apparatus receives any of: a control command instructing to switch the operation state, from said first apparatus; and a control command indicating that said third apparatus transmits video to said first apparatus, from said third apparatus, said operation state switching unit in said third apparatus is configured to switch the operation state of said third apparatus from the first OFF operation mode to the second OFF operation mode in the case where, when said third apparatus is in the first OFF operation mode, said transmission and reception unit in said third apparatus receives any of: the control command instructing to switch the operation state, from said first apparatus; and a control command indicating that said second apparatus transmits video to said first apparatus, from said second apparatus, and said transmission and reception unit in said first apparatus is configured to transmit the control command instructing to switch the operation state, to any of said second apparatus and said third apparatus.