Patent ID: 8233634

Claim:
An external speaker control device which controls an external speaker outside a video and sound output device, the external speaker control device comprising: a receiving unit operable to receive information indicating a first sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an internal speaker inside the video and sound output device and a second sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from the external speaker, from the video and sound output device; and a sound control unit operable (a) not to cause the sound to be outputted from the external speaker when the receiving unit receives information indicating the first sound output mode, and (b) to cause the sound to be outputted from the external speaker when the receiving unit receives information indicating the second sound output mode, wherein when the sound control unit receives, from the video and sound output device, sound volume control information for controlling a volume of the sound outputted from the external speaker, the sound control unit is operable, (a) not to control the volume of the sound outputted from the external speaker when the receiving unit receives the information indicating the first sound output mode, and (b) to control the volume of the sound outputted from the external speaker when the receiving unit receives the information indicating the second sound output mode.