Remote control system, remote commander, and remote control server

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11290768-B2
Application number	US-201916279411-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2019
Priority date	Dec 22, 2004
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

An information processing apparatus and server apparatus are disclosed. In one example, the information processing apparatus is configured to display content on a first display and transmit an instruction to display the content, which is being displayed on the first display, on a second display of a first external device. This instruction causes a displaying of the content at a specified playback start point on the second display.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control apparatus comprising:
control circuitry configured to
control communication circuitry to transmit a signal to a plurality of electronic apparatuses, the plurality of electronic apparatuses including a plurality of video source devices and a plurality of display devices,
control a first display to display a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface includes a list of the plurality of electronic apparatuses, the list including information of the plurality of video source devices and the plurality of display devices,

receive a selection of a selected video source device from the plurality of video source devices,
control the first display to display a video content from the selected video source device on the graphical user interface,
receive a selection of at least one of the plurality of display devices, and
control the communication circuitry to cause the at least one of the plurality of display devices that is selected to display the video content from the selected video source device in response to receiving the selection of the at least one of the plurality of display devices,
wherein the first display and the at least one of the plurality of display devices that is selected both display the video content from the selected video source device in response to controlling the communication circuitry to cause the at least one of the plurality of display devices that is selected to display the video content from the selected video source device.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control the communication circuitry to transmit one of a plurality of video contents to one of the plurality of display devices via local area network streaming.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the video content displayed on the graphical user interface corresponds to the video content displayed on the at least one of the plurality of display devices that is selected.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic apparatuses is a recorder that is configured to record the video content.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the communication circuitry is further configured to communicate with the plurality of electronic apparatuses, and
wherein the control circuitry is further configured to
identify status information indicating a status of the each electronic apparatus of the plurality of electronic apparatuses based on communication between the communication circuitry and the plurality of electronic apparatuses, and
control the list of the plurality of electronic apparatuses based on the status of the each electronic apparatus of the plurality of electronic apparatuses.

6. The control apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein, to control the list of the plurality of electronic apparatuses based on the status of the each electronic apparatus of the plurality of electronic apparatuses, the control circuitry is further configured to control one of the plurality of electronic apparatuses to be displayed and grayed-out in the list when the status information indicates that the one of the plurality of electronic apparatuses is in an inactive state.

7. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , the control circuitry is further configured to
receive a first command, and
convert the first command that is received into a second command for a particular electronic apparatus of the plurality of electronic apparatuses.

8. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , the communication circuitry is configured to communicate with at least one of the plurality of electronic apparatuses via an IP (internet protocol) network.

9. A method comprising:
controlling, with control circuitry, a communication circuitry to transmit a signal to a plurality of electronic apparatuses, the plurality of electronic apparatuses including a plurality of video source devices and a plurality of display devices;
controlling, with the control circuitry, a first display to display a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface includes a list of the plurality of electronic apparatuses, the list including information on the plurality of video source devices and the plurality of display devices;
receiving a selection of a selected video source device from the plurality of video source devices;
controlling, with the control circuitry, the first display to display a video content from the selected video source device on the graphical user interface;
receive a selection of at least one of the plurality of display devices; and
responsive to receiving the selection of the at least one of the plurality of display devices, controlling, with the control circuitry, the communication circuitry to cause the at least one of the plurality of display devices that is selected to display the video content from the selected video source device,
wherein the first display and the at least one of the plurality of display devices that is selected both display the video content from the selected video source device in response to controlling the communication circuitry to cause the at least one of the plurality of display devices that is selected to display the video content from the selected video source device.

10. A system comprising:
a plurality of electronic apparatuses including a plurality of video source devices and a plurality of display devices; and
a control apparatus including
control circuitry configured to
control communication circuitry to transmit a signal to the plurality of electronic apparatuses; and
control a first display to display a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface includes a list of the plurality of electronic apparatuses, the list including information of the plurality of video source devices and the plurality of display devices,
receive a selection of a selected video source device from the plurality of video source devices,
control the first display to display a video content from the selected video source device on the graphical user interface,
receive a selection of at least one of the plurality of display devices, and
control the communication circuitry to cause the at least one of the plurality of display devices that is selected to display the video content from the selected video source device in response to receiving the selection of the at least one of the plurality of display devices,
wherein the first display and the at least one of the plurality of display devices that is selected both display the video content from the selected video source device in response to controlling the communication circuitry to cause the at least one of the plurality of display devices that is selected to display the video content from the selected video source device.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control the communication circuitry to transmit one of a plurality of video contents to one of the plurality of display devices via local area network streaming.

12. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the communication circuitry is further configured to communicate with the plurality of electronic apparatuses,
wherein the control circuitry is further configured to
identify status information indicating a status of the each electronic apparatus of the plurality of electronic apparatuses based on communication between the communication circuitry and the plurality of electronic apparatuses, and
control the list of the plurality of electronic apparatuses based on the status of the each electronic apparatu

Assignees

• Sony Group Corp

Inventors

• Sato Hideki
• Nakamura Junichi
• Yuasa Naoki
• Otsu Shuichi
• Hashi Hiroki
• Namai Mie

Classifications

• H04L12/282

  based on user interaction within the home (receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204) · CPC title

• H04N21/42204

  User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor (constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205) · CPC title

• G08C2201/50

  Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices · CPC title

• H04N21/482

  End-user interface for programme selection · CPC title

• H04N21/42209 Primary

  for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic programme guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel · CPC title