JP2005252517A - Device remote controller communication system, information providing server, and program thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem of a conventional device remote controller system that has had a difficulty of creating contents displayed on a device remote controller. <P>SOLUTION: In a device remote controller communication system disclosed herein comprising a device remote controller 2, a contents entry terminal 5 for entering information displayed on the device remote controller 2, and an information providing server 4 for managing and storing contents information, the information providing server 4 contains: a contents creating section 28 for acquiring information entered by an operator by using the contents entry terminal 5 and creating the display information displayed on the device remote controller 2 on the basis of the acquired information; and a preview information output section 30 for previewing a result of the creation for the operator. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote control / remote monitor of a device, a device remote control communication system for displaying information to a user, and an information providing server for providing information to the device remote control through communication outside or inside the home. .

  Conventionally, this type of device remote control communication system has many configurations as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. FIG. 9 shows a configuration of a conventional remote controller described in Patent Document 1. In FIG. The operation of each part of the remote controller 100 shown in FIG. 9 is listed below.

  The communication unit 101 is connected to a communication line such as the Internet and acquires display information. The display unit 102 displays information acquired from the communication line. The input operation unit 103 receives operations related to device control and display from the user. The storage unit 104 stores information obtained by the communication unit 101. The device operation control unit 105 controls the device according to the contents input by the input operation unit 103. The information processing control unit 106 controls the communication unit 101, the display unit 102, the input operation unit 103, the storage unit 104, the device operation control unit 105, and the operation and information flow of each.

  With this configuration, information obtained from a communication line such as the Internet is displayed on the display unit 102.

The relationship between the remote controller 100 and the server is shown in FIG. A content provider such as the advertisement requesting company 112 requests the main server 111 or the sub server 110 to distribute information. In response to the request, the operator creates content and registers it in the main server 111 and the sub server 110. The registered information is transmitted to the remote controller 100.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-199471 (Section 1-4, FIGS. 1 to 4)

  However, the conventional configuration has a problem that it is difficult to input display contents because the specification of the display unit of the device remote controller is not uniform.

  Specifically, the screen size (number of pixels), the number of colors, and the like of the display unit of the device remote control vary depending on the model. In addition, even with device remote controls that have a WEB browser function (a function that displays content written in a markup language such as HTML), HTML syntax and tags are often limited, and HTML that can be displayed on a personal computer. Cannot be displayed as is.

  Therefore, conventionally, it is necessary for an operator to understand the display method and characteristics of each device remote controller to create display contents, and there is a problem that registration of contents is very difficult.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, in the present invention, information input by an operator at a content input terminal is received by communication, display information to be displayed on the device remote controller is generated from the information, and transmitted to the device remote controller. An information providing server is provided. In the content input terminal, the operator inputs content information as a basis of display information to be displayed by the device remote controller. From this information, the information providing server generates display information to be displayed on the device remote controller.

  Thus, for example, when the device remote control has a WEB browser function, the information providing server is written in a markup language such as HTML from information such as text (character string) input from the operator at the content input terminal. Display information is generated. As a result, the operator can easily create content for the device remote controller without understanding restrictions on the display capability of the device remote controller.

By using the device remote control communication system, the information providing server and the program thereof according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) By providing a dedicated input terminal (content input terminal) for content displayed on the device remote controller, content input can be performed more easily than in the past.
(2) By providing a content generation unit in the information providing server, content suitable for display on the device remote controller can be generated from information input from the content input terminal. As a result, the operator can easily create display content without detailed knowledge about the device remote controller.
(3) The information providing server includes a preview information output unit, and can generate a preview image of the generated display information for the device remote controller. This image can be confirmed at the content input terminal, and the operator can confirm the content created before distribution.
(4) By providing a display condition setting unit in the information providing server, it becomes possible for an operator to input setting information (type, importance, display start date / time, display end date / time, etc.) related to display information displayed on the device remote control. More detailed display settings are possible.
(5) By providing the information providing server with a read / unread information management unit for managing read / unread information of content and a read / unread information output unit, the read / unread for each device remote controller or for each user of the content Unread information can be displayed to the operator at the content input terminal.
(6) The content generation unit, preview information output unit, display condition setting unit, read / unread information output unit, etc. are all configured inside the information providing server. These are configured as WEB applications, and input / output interfaces are realized by HTTP communication using HTML and XML. Therefore, the content input terminal only needs to have a WEB browser function, and there is an advantage that it is not necessary to add a special function for content creation / management. When each function is configured by software, it is not necessary to install special software.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device remote controller that displays information to the user when performing remote control of the device, a content input terminal that allows an operator to input content information that is the basis of display information displayed by the device remote controller, A device remote control communication system comprising an information providing server that receives content information from the content input terminal by communication, generates display information for display on the device remote control from the information, and transmits the display information to the device remote control. The content input terminal uses an input terminal dedicated to the device remote control, and the input result is transmitted to the information providing server by communication. Therefore, the operator does not need to set the information providing server, and only the dedicated content input terminal is used. Content can be registered by operation.

  The second invention stores and manages display information on the device remote control and display setting information thereof, and transmits display information to the device remote control, and information input from the operator at the content input terminal. The information providing server includes a content generation unit that acquires display information through communication, generates display information to be displayed on the device remote controller, and outputs the display information to the display information management unit. By providing the content generation unit, content that can be displayed by the device remote controller can be generated from information input from the content input terminal. This simplifies operator content creation.

  A third invention is the display according to the second invention, wherein the content generation unit is written in a markup language such as HTML or XML from at least one information of characters, images, and sounds input from an operator at the content input terminal. Information is generated and output to the display information management unit. By generating information written in a markup language such as HTML, it is possible to generate various types of content such as text-only content and content containing images.

  According to a fourth invention, in any one of the second to third inventions, before the content generation unit outputs and registers the display information to the display information management unit, the display information generated by the content generation unit is acquired and the content input terminal A preview information output unit that displays information displayed on the device remote controller for the operator. Thereby, the operator can register the content after confirming the display state on the device remote controller.

  A fifth invention is the screen according to any one of the second to fourth inventions, for inputting setting information (type, importance, display start date / time, display end date / time, etc.) related to display information displayed on the content input terminal with the device remote controller And a display condition setting unit for outputting the setting information input from the operator to a display information management unit. As a result, the operator can specify the display conditions and display method of the contents in detail.

  According to a sixth invention, in any one of the second to fifth inventions, the access to the information providing server from the device remote controller is monitored, and the display information stored and managed in the display information management unit is transmitted to the device remote controller. The read / unread information management unit for managing whether or not it is displayed, and the read / unread information for each display information stored in the read / unread information management unit and for each device remote controller are output to the content input terminal. A read / unread information output unit is provided. Thereby, the operator can know whether each display information (content) has been read or not read on the content input terminal side.

  In a seventh aspect based on any one of the second to sixth aspects, at least one of the input / output interfaces of the content generation unit, the preview information output unit, the display condition setting unit, and the read / unread information output unit is HTML, XML It is performed by HTTP communication using a markup language such as. As a result, most functions related to content creation can be consolidated on the information providing server side, and only the WEB browser function is required on the content input terminal side. Thereby, the merit that the structure on the content input terminal side becomes simple is born.

  An eighth invention is a program for causing a computer to realize at least a part of the functions described in any one of the first to seventh inventions. Since it is a program, some or all of the functions of the present invention can be easily realized by cooperating hardware resources such as electrical / information equipment, computers, and servers. Also, program distribution and installation can be simplified by recording on a recording medium or distributing a program using a communication line.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the present embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a device 1 is a general device or device installed in a user's home. For example, (a) air conditioners such as air conditioners, ventilation fans, blowers, fan heaters, (b) water heaters, underfloor heaters, gas meters, doorphones, sensor devices (such as gas leak alarms and intrusion sensors), (C) White appliances such as washing machines and microwave ovens (AV appliances such as video, TV, and personal computer may be used).

  The device remote controller 2 is a device that communicates with the device 1 based on an operation instruction from the user, controls / monitors the device 1, and communicates with the information providing server 4 to display various information. The communication between the device 1 and the device remote controller 2 may be wired communication (such as an electric light line or a twisted pair line), or may be wireless communication (infrared, low power wireless, wireless LAN, etc.). FIG. 1 shows an example of wireless communication.

  The home higher-level communication device 3 is a device such as a modem or a router for connecting the device remote controller 2 to an external communication network such as the Internet. Specific examples include an ADSL router, a CATV modem, an ISDN dialup router, an optical fiber line terminating device, a media converter, a home PNA device, a router, and a switching hub. In the figure, the home higher-level communication device 3 is illustrated as one configuration, but the configuration may be divided into a plurality of units such as a splitter and an ADSL router. The device remote controller 2 and the home higher-level communication device 3 are connected by a wired LAN based on the IEEE 802.3 standard, and perform communication based on the TCP / IP protocol (wireless LAN connection based on IEEE 802.11 or other communication). Method or communication line).

  The information providing server 4 is a server device that stores and manages content information and transmits (distributes) content information to the device remote controller 2. The content here is mainly information related to life related to the device remote control, such as maintenance information on the device and local information such as bulletin boards and circulation boards, etc., but advertisement information, weather forecasts, news, etc. General information and entertainment information such as fortune-telling may be included.

  Generally, the information providing server 4 is installed in a data center such as an information center. The content input terminal 5 is a terminal for inputting information such as text, images, and voices that are the basis of content displayed on the device remote controller 2. It consists of a personal computer equipped with a WEB browser. The content input terminal 5 exchanges information with the information providing server 4 via the home higher-level communication device 3 ′.

  The content input terminal 5 is used by the content creator. For example, when inputting “bulletin board” or “circulation board” information in an apartment house, the content input terminal 5 is installed in a management association of the apartment house, and the manager operates this terminal as an operator.

  The in-home host communication device 3 ′ has the same configuration as the above-described in-home host communication device 3, and has a configuration such as a router and a modem for connecting the content input terminal 5 to the Internet network.

  In the system configured as described above, the device remote controller 2 obtains / displays content information by accessing the information providing server 4 using a communication line as well as controlling the device 1.

  FIG. 2 shows a detailed configuration of the device remote controller 2. The communication unit 11 is a communication device that transmits and receives data to and from the information providing server 4 through a public communication network such as the Internet by communicating with the in-home communication device 3 using LAN communication based on IEEE802.3. is there. The index acquisition unit 12 is connected to the information providing server 4 via the communication unit 11 and acquires table of contents information (index information) regarding the content. The index information here indicates item information such as ID, title, URL, type, importance, display start date / time, and display end date / time for each content. It is assumed that the content body is given a unique ID, is described in the HTML language, and is stored in the content server unit 23 in the information providing server 4. Therefore, the content itself can be accessed from the device remote controller 2 by specifying the URL information. Further, new arrival information indicating whether or not new information has been added since the previous access may be added as one of the index information. In this case, it is possible to display whether the content information has been newly received for the user.

  The WEB browser unit 13 accesses the URL acquired by the index acquisition unit 12 via the communication unit 11, acquires HTML content from the content server unit 23 that is the URL destination, and displays it on the display unit 15. I do. Also, an operation of transmitting the ID information in the ID storage unit 18 to the information providing server 4 at the time of content acquisition is performed. The control unit 14 controls the index acquisition unit 12, the WEB browser unit 13, a display unit 15, a user input unit 16, a device control unit 17, and an ID storage unit 18, which will be described later, and exchanges data between the units. The display unit 15 displays a guide screen for prompting the user to perform an input operation, a status screen indicating the device status, and the like, or a screen created by the WEB browser unit 13 according to the control unit 14. It is. Specifically, it is composed of a display device such as a liquid crystal display, an EL display, a CRT, and an LED array, and its control circuit. The user input unit 16 receives an input operation related to device control from the user and an instruction input operation for content. The user input unit 16 basically includes switches such as push buttons and selectors. Further, a touch panel or the like may be used as a configuration combined with the display unit 15. The device control unit 17 communicates with the device 1 and controls and monitors the device 1 in accordance with the instruction input by the user input unit 16. The ID storage unit 18 stores unique ID information for each device remote controller 2 or for each user.

  Next, a detailed configuration of the information providing server 4 will be described with reference to FIG. The information providing server 4 is generally a facility installed in a data center or an information management center. The server-side communication unit 20 is a communication device that receives communication from the device remote controller 2 and the content input terminal 5 via the Internet. Specifically, it is composed of a line termination device, a media converter, a modem, a router, a switch, and the like. The display information management unit 21 is a server that stores and manages information to be displayed on the device remote controller 2. This is composed of an information server unit 22 and a content server unit 23. The information server unit 22 manages / stores the table of contents information (the index information described above), and transmits information to the index acquisition unit 12 of the device remote controller 2 via the server side communication unit 20. The content server unit 23 stores / manages content information described in HTML displayed on the device remote controller 2. The content server unit 23 is configured based on a WEB server, stores the content itself, and performs a process of returning an appropriate content as a response to the communication request from the device remote controller 2.

  In this embodiment, the content is described in HTML, but may be written in another markup language such as XML, or may be in another format such as a binary data format.

  The user information management unit 24 includes (1) device remote control and ID information for each user, (2) personal information (name, address, telephone number, etc.) of the user, and (3) operator information (ID, password) of the content input terminal 5. A database server that manages / stores the personal information of the operator, the management authority of the operator, the user managed by the operator, and the like. The read / unread information management unit 25 monitors access to the display information management unit 21, which device remote control (or which user) has read / read each content stored in the content server unit 23. To manage. The read / unread information output unit 26 causes the content input terminal to display the read / unread information managed by the read / unread information management unit 25 in a format that can be understood by the operator. The authentication unit 27 performs operator authentication. In the content input terminal 5, before the operator uses the content creation function or the read / unread management function, whether the operator is a correct operator registered in the user information management unit 24, such as an ID / password, etc. Authenticate with information. The menu screen is displayed only to operators who have been properly authenticated. Note that the authentication unit 27 may use other methods such as authentication using biometric information such as a fingerprint or authentication using a dedicated authentication device such as an IC card, instead of the ID / password authentication method.

  The content generation unit 28 causes the content input terminal 5 to input information (characters, images, sounds, etc.) that is the basis of the screen displayed on the device remote controller 2 and generates HTML information that can be displayed on the device remote controller 2 from the information. To do. In this embodiment, the information input from the operator is described as only character information. The display condition setting unit 29 causes the operator to input information such as the type, importance, display start date / time, and display end date / time set for each display information (content). The input information is transmitted to the content generation unit 28 and the preview information output unit 30. The preview information output unit 30 displays the HTML display information generated by the content generation unit 28 to the operator, and when confirmation from the operator is obtained, the HTML generated by the content generation unit 28 and the display condition setting The setting information input by the unit 29 is registered in the content server unit 23 and the information server unit 22, respectively. The content output to the content server unit 23 and the information server unit 22 is then acquired / displayed by the device remote controller 2.

  In the device remote controller 2 and the information providing server 4 configured as described above, the operation of each unit will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4 regarding the process of accessing the information providing server 4 from the device remote controller 2 and acquiring / displaying the content. To do.

  (Step A1) The user operates the user input unit 16 of the device remote controller 2 to instruct the start of the content display operation. As described above, the user input unit 16 includes a push button, a touch panel, and the like. When the user presses a predetermined button or the like, the control unit 14 starts content acquisition and display operations.

  (Step A2) When the control unit 14 detects an input from the user input unit 16, the control unit 14 activates the index acquisition unit 12. The index acquisition unit 12 controls the communication unit 11 to access the information server unit 22 in the information providing server 4.

  The main body of the display information is stored in the content server unit 23. The information server unit 22 stores the URL, ID, title, type (information type such as bulletin board, circulation board, and maintenance information) of the display information content, important information. Index information (table-of-contents information) is stored, which includes a time, a display start date and time, a display end date and time, and the like. The index acquisition unit 12 acquires these pieces of information for the number of registered contents.

  (Step A3) The control unit 14 activates the WEB browser unit 13 and performs processing to pass URL information included in the acquired index information as connection destination information.

  (Step A4) The WEB browser unit 13 controls the communication unit 11 to connect to the designated URL. Usually, since the URL indicates the content in the content server unit 23, the WEB browser unit 13 accesses the content server unit 23. The WEB browser unit 13 acquires the HTML file specified by the URL, and displays the content on the display unit 15 in accordance with the HTML information described in the file.

  At the time of accessing the content server unit 23, the WEB browser unit 13 also transmits the ID information stored in the ID storage unit 18 to the information providing server 4 at the same time. The read / unread information management unit 25 in the information providing server 4 records / manages the ID information and the ID information of the content acquired by the WEB browser unit 13, and the content transmitted by the content server unit 23 is the acquired ID. Record as displayed (read) on user / device remote control with information.

  (Step A5) The control unit 14 determines whether or not all contents for the plurality of URL information (index information) acquired in Step A2 have been displayed. If there remains content to be displayed, the process returns to step A3 to display the next URL on the WEB browser unit 13. If all are displayed, the content acquisition / display operation ends.

  By performing the operation as described above, the device remote controller 2 can access the information providing server 4 and display the content.

  Next, the operations of the content input terminal 5 and the information providing server 4 when creating / registering content information will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this embodiment, the content input terminal 5 is a personal computer having a WEB browser function. Using this WEB browser function, the information providing server 4 is accessed to input and register contents.

  (Step B1) After the content input terminal 5 is activated, the operator accesses the information providing server 4 using the WEB browser function. It is assumed that the URL of the information providing server 4 is determined in advance, and access is made using this URL information.

  (Step B2) At the time of content input, first, in order to determine whether or not the operator who operates the content input terminal 5 is appropriate, user authentication is performed using the authentication unit 27 in the information providing server 4. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing screen transition of the content input terminal 5. Authentication is performed using an ID and a password as shown in FIG. ID and password information and operator information are registered in the user information management unit 24 in advance. In this embodiment, authentication using ID / password is used. However, authentication using biometric information such as a fingerprint or authentication using an authentication device such as an IC card may be used.

  (Step B3) Processing is branched depending on the authentication result. If the authentication result is NG, the authentication unit 27 returns to step B2 and outputs a screen prompting re-input of the ID / password. If it is OK, the process proceeds to step B4.

  (Step B4) If the authentication result is OK, the authentication unit 27 displays a menu screen to the operator. A display example is shown in FIG. Here, two menus of “read / unread management” and “content input” are displayed. Although these two menus are shown here as representative examples, other functions such as “content deletion” and “content change” may be added.

  (Step B5) The operator performs a selection instruction by operating the menu screen. If “content input” is selected, the process proceeds to step B6. If “read / unread management” is selected, the process proceeds to step B11.

  (Step B6) The content generation unit 28 and the display condition setting unit 29 output an input instruction screen for content details and display conditions to the operator. FIG. 6 (3) shows an example of the input instruction screen. As shown in the figure, an input screen of “title” “content” as content content information and “type”, “importance”, “display start date / time”, and “display end date / time” as display conditions is output. The operator inputs this information on the screen. In this example, the content content input and the display condition input are performed on one screen, but different screens may be used. Other items such as an expiration date, a transmission user, a transmission user group, and the like may be added to the display condition (display setting information). A transmission user is a user who wants to transmit content, and a transmission user group is a group to which a user who wants to transmit content belongs. When using a group, it is necessary to register the information in the user information management unit 24 for each user.

  (Step B <b> 7) The content generation unit 28 converts the information input in Step B <b> 6 into a format displayed on the device remote controller 2.

  In general, the screen size (number of pixels), the number of colors, and the like of the display unit 15 of the device remote controller 2 vary depending on the model. Even in the case of a device remote controller having a WEB browser function as in this embodiment, the HTML syntax and corresponding tags have various restrictions depending on the model. Therefore, in order to create content for the device remote controller 2, it is necessary for the operator to know the screen size, the number of colors, the corresponding HTML grammar, and the like of the device remote controller 2 in advance. In the present embodiment, the content creation by the content generation unit 28 is simplified by the operator.

  A specific content creation method performed by the content generation unit 28 will be described with reference to the example of FIG.

  FIG. 7A shows the “title” and “content” input in step B6. FIG. 7 shows a method of creating content to be displayed on the device remote controller 2 from these two pieces of information for the sake of simplicity.

This “title” and “content” information is first subjected to the following processing shown in FIG.
(1) Character check: Characters that cannot be displayed on the device remote control are converted to other characters or an error is displayed. (Equipment remote control often cannot handle all kanji and symbols handled by ordinary computers. For this reason, it is converted to characters that can be displayed in advance. If the kanji codes (SJIS, EUC, etc.) are different, And convert here.)
(2) Number of characters per line and line number check: Since the number of characters per line and the number of lines that can be displayed differ depending on the model of the device remote control 2, an error occurs when a line feed code is inserted properly or there are many lines Display.
(3) Code conversion: The device remote control may not be a Kanji code used on a personal computer. In that case, Kanji code conversion is performed. In addition, when HTML is displayed on the device remote controller 2 as in this embodiment, a process for converting a specific character into a tag, such as converting a line feed code into a tag <BR>, is also possible. Do.
(4) Other: Prohibit illegal processing at the end of the line.

  Next, the “title” and “content” processed in the above (1) to (4) are inserted into the template HTML file. A specific insertion process is shown in FIG.

  A template HTML file is prepared in advance for each type of device remote controller 2. Character string substitution is performed on the converted character string in this template HTML file (*** TITLE ***, *** CONTENTS *** in Fig. 7 (C)). Replace string. By this processing, HTML as shown in FIG. 7D can be created. The template HTML is designed and processed peculiar to each device remote controller 2, and content that can be displayed on the device remote controller 2 can be created by replacing a part of the template HTML with the input title and content.

  Note that FIG. 7 shows an example in which content is created from the input “title” and “text” for the sake of simplicity, but “type”, “importance”, “display start date”, “display end date” Other input information such as “” may be used together. Further, the template HTML file shown in FIG. 7 is an example, and may be described in another markup language such as XML, or a language such as Java (R) Script may be added. Furthermore, the file format may be a proprietary file format instead of a markup language such as HTML. Further, the template HTML file may be changed according to the type of the user to be distributed or the device remote controller 2.

  (Step B8) The content created by the content generation unit 28 is input to the preview information output unit 30. The preview information display unit 30 displays the created content (in this embodiment, an HTML file) to the operator (see FIG. 6 (4)). The preview information display unit 30 has a function of emulating the display of the device remote controller 2, and displays the content created in step B7 in a form similar to that displayed on the device remote controller 2. Also, the operator confirms whether the displayed content is appropriate for display on the device remote controller 2 (corresponding to the “OK” and “Redo” buttons in FIG. 6 (4)).

  (Step B9) The preview information display unit 30 branches the process according to the confirmation result. If the operator performs an “OK” operation on the created content preview screen, the process proceeds to step B10, and if it is NG (redo), the process returns to step B6 to input the content and display setting information again.

  (Step B10) The preview information display unit 30 determines that the creation information has been confirmed by the operator, and displays the HTML file and display setting information generated by the content generation unit 28 as the content server unit 23 and the information server unit, respectively. 22 to register. The device remote controller 2 acquires these pieces of information by the index acquisition unit 12 and the WEB browser unit 13 and displays them to the user.

  (Step B11) This step is executed when “read / unread information display” is selected in the menu display of step B5 (FIG. 6 (2)). In this step, the read / unread information output unit 26 displays the read / unread information for each content. As described in step A4, every time the WEB browser unit 13 in the device remote controller 2 accesses the content, the read / unread information management unit 25 stores the ID information in the device remote controller 2 and the ID information of the acquired content. Correlate and record as read information. The read / unread information output unit 26 displays the information stored in the read / unread information management unit 25.

  A display example is shown in FIG. FIG. 8A shows a screen listing content IDs and titles. When the operator selects content from these, the screen transitions to FIG. In FIG. 8 (2), a list of readers and non-readers for the selected content is displayed. The relationship between the ID information in the device remote controller 2 acquired by the read / unread information management unit 25 and the user (personal information such as name and address) is stored in the user information management unit 24. Therefore, by searching the user information management unit 24 from the ID information obtained by the read / unread information management unit 25, it is possible to display a list of the names / addresses, telephone numbers, etc. of the reader / unread readers. It is.

  Through the processing described above, it is possible to generate content to be displayed on the device remote controller 2 from information input by the operator, or to display a reader / unreader on the content input terminal for each content. These functions make it easier for operators to create and manage content.

  In the present embodiment, the content generation unit 28, the display condition setting unit 29, the preview information display unit 30, and the read / unread information output unit 26 are WEB applications and use HTML or CGI using HTTP communication. Realized. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, all parts for processing such as content creation exist in the information providing server 4. In this case, the content input terminal 5 only needs to have a WEB browser function, and there is an advantage that it is not necessary to install a special application.

  In the present embodiment, the information input to the content generation unit 28 has been described as text information only, but other information such as images and sounds may be used. In the HTML file, images and sounds can be used without any problem, so that a content that can be displayed / reproduced by the device remote controller 2 can be generated by the same algorithm as in FIG. In this embodiment, the content input terminal 5 is a personal computer having a WEB browser function. However, the content input terminal 5 may be another device such as a mobile phone, a PDA, a television, a digital camera, or a workstation having a WEB browser function.

  The means and units described in this embodiment cooperate with hardware resources such as a CPU (or microcomputer), a RAM, a ROM, a storage / recording device, an electric / information device including an I / O, a computer, a server, and the like. You may implement in the form of the program to work. In the form of a program, new functions can be easily distributed / updated and installed by recording them on a recording medium such as magnetic media or optical media or distributing them via a communication line such as the Internet.

  As described above, the device remote control communication system, the information providing server, and the program thereof according to the present invention can generate display information content to be displayed on the device remote controller based on information input from an operator, and can also read / unread Management is also possible. Accordingly, the present invention can be applied not only to home appliances and equipment, but also to applications such as general information terminals and mobile terminals, as well as remote controllers for controlling various devices that must provide information to users.

The figure which shows the whole structure in Example 1 of this invention. Configuration diagram of device remote controller in Embodiment 1 of the present invention Configuration diagram of information providing server in Embodiment 1 of the present invention The flowchart which shows the content acquisition operation | movement of Example 1 of this invention. The flowchart which shows the content registration operation | movement of Example 1 of this invention. The figure which shows the content registration screen transition of Example 1 of this invention The figure which shows the content production | generation method of Example 1 of this invention. The figure which shows the example of content read / unread information display of Example 1 of this invention The figure which shows the structure of the conventional equipment remote control The figure which shows the whole structure of a prior art example

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Apparatus 2 Apparatus remote control 3 Home communication apparatus 4 Information provision server 5 Content input terminal 11 Communication part 12 Index acquisition part 13 WEB browser part 14 Control part 15 Display part 16 User input part 17 Equipment control part 18 ID memory | storage part 20 Server side Communication unit 21 Display information management unit 22 Information server unit 23 Content server unit 24 User information management unit 25 Read / unread information management unit 26 Read / unread information output unit 27 Authentication unit 28 Content generation unit 29 Display condition setting unit 30 Preview Information output section

Claims (8)

A device remote controller that performs remote control of the device and displays information to the user, a content input terminal that allows an operator to input content information as a basis of display information displayed by the device remote controller, and the content information as the content input A device remote control communication system comprising an information providing server that receives information from a terminal through communication, generates display information for display on the device remote control from the information, and transmits the display information to the device remote control. Display information displayed on the device remote control and display setting information thereof are stored and managed, and the display information management unit for transmitting the display information and the display setting information to the device remote control, and content input from the operator at the content input terminal An information providing server comprising: a content generation unit that acquires information by communication, generates display information to be displayed on the device remote controller from the information, and outputs the display information to the display information management unit as content information. The content generation unit generates display information written in a markup language such as HTML or XML from at least one piece of information of characters, images, and sounds input from an operator at the content input terminal, and outputs the display information to the display information management unit The information providing server according to claim 2, wherein: A preview information output unit for acquiring display information generated by the content generation unit and displaying information actually displayed on the device remote controller on the content input terminal before registering the display information in the display information management unit is provided. The information providing server according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that In the content input terminal, a screen for inputting setting information (type, importance, display start date / time, display end date / time, transmission user, transmission user group, etc.) related to display information displayed on the device remote control is displayed and input from the operator 5. The information providing server according to claim 2, further comprising a display condition setting unit that outputs the setting information to a content generation unit and a display information management unit. A read / unread information management unit that monitors access to the information providing server from the device remote controller and manages whether display information stored and managed in the display information management unit is transmitted to the device remote controller and displayed; A read / unread information output unit that displays read / unread information for each display information stored in the read / unread information management unit and for each device remote controller to a content input terminal is provided. Item 6. The information providing server according to any one of Items 2 to 5. At least one input / output interface of the content generation unit, the preview information output unit, the display condition setting unit, and the read / unread information output unit is performed by HTTP communication using a markup language such as HTML or XML, and the HTML, 3. A content input terminal including a WEB browser capable of displaying information described in a markup language such as XML, and causing an operator to input and output information via the WEB browser. 7. The information providing server according to any one of 6 above. The program for making a computer implement | achieve at least one part of the function of any one of Claims 1-7.

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