JP2005339414A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processor capable of constituting a desired electronic apparatus system by combining electronic apparatuses. <P>SOLUTION: This information processor comprises an acquisition means (S120) acquiring apparatus information of electronic apparatuses; a display means (S130) displaying possible electronic apparatus systems based on the acquired apparatus information; a selection means (S140) selecting one of the displayed electronic apparatus systems; and a communication means (S150) communicating with all the electronic apparatuses constituting the selected electronic apparatus system. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, and more particularly, to an information processing apparatus that combines a plurality of electronic devices connected to a network according to a user's purpose of use and constitutes a desired electronic device system.

  When peripheral devices for configuring an electronic device system required in a scene or environment used by a user are different using an information device using a network such as wireless communication, it is necessary to select a terminal according to the purpose of use. There was a high cost for the whole system.

  In addition, every time the place of use or the environment changes, setting work for reconfiguring the system is necessary, which is complicated. As a result, portability was inferior.

For example, in a conventional network conference system, a conference server monitors the power on / off states of various devices constituting the conference system, and changes the usable device display screen of the chairman terminal (see, for example, Patent Document 1). .
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-331429 (page 17, FIG. 40)

  However, it has not been possible to configure a desired electronic device system by combining electronic devices according to the purpose of use of the user.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus that constitutes a desired electronic device system by combining electronic devices.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, an acquisition unit that acquires device information of an electronic device, a display unit that displays a configurable electronic device system based on the acquired device information, and the displayed electronic device system are selected. An information processing apparatus comprising: a selection unit; and a communication unit that communicates with all the electronic devices constituting the selected electronic device system.

  In a second aspect of the present invention, when shifting from the selected electronic device system to another electronic device system, a new connection for disconnecting the communication with the electronic device that has been in communication and configuring the other electronic device system is provided. An information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, which communicates with an electronic device.

The third invention is executed based on the acquisition means for acquiring the device information of the electronic device, the storage means for storing the priority of the configurable electronic device system, and the device information and the priority of the electronic device system. An information processing apparatus comprising: a determination unit that determines an electronic device system to be connected; and a communication unit that communicates with all the electronic devices constituting the determined electronic device system.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the information processing apparatus which comprises an electronic device and comprises a desired electronic device system can be provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an electronic device system according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the present embodiment, various electronic device systems can be configured by various electronic devices connected to a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) 100 that is a controller device via a network. For example, an audio player can be configured from the PDA 100 and the headphones 700. Also, a DVD playback system including the PDA 100, the display device 200, the DVD-ROM drive 300, and the speaker 400 can be configured. If a keyboard 500 and a mouse 600 are further added to the DVD playback system, a PC (personal computer) can be configured.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the PDA 100 which is a controller device according to the present embodiment. The control unit 120 controls the entire PDA and executes application software stored in a memory 140 such as a RAM. For example, when executing e-mail software, the user can browse a mail received by the communication unit 170 on the display unit 180 and create a reply mail using the pen input unit 130. As the communication unit 170, a wireless communication card stored in a card slot of the PDA can be used. As a wireless communication method, Bluetooth (registered trademark) or the like may be used.

In addition, device information 150 and a system configuration information table 160 are also stored in the memory 140. The device information 150 includes device attribute information of the PDA 100 and a device ID. The device ID may be a unique ID such as a Bluetooth address, and the device attribute information indicates what function the device has (such as a PDA function).

The system configuration information table 160 is information related to an electronic device system that can be configured by the PDA 100 as a controller device. In other words, this is an information table for configuring a desired electronic device system, and what kind of electronic device is required upon receiving a request from the user to configure the desired electronic device system in the controller device. Information is stored.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of the display device 200 according to the present embodiment. The control unit 220 controls the entire display device, temporarily stores the video data received by the communication unit 260 corresponding to a wireless communication method such as Bluetooth in the memory 240, and causes the display unit 230 to display the video data. The memory 240 also stores device information 250 related to the display device.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of the system configuration information table 160 in the controller device. In the case of only the controller device 100 alone, it operates as a PDA. The component devices in this case are a display device, an input device, and a storage device. The default (initial setting; solid line display) of the set values is selected as the built-in display or display unit 180 for the display device, the pen or pen input unit 130 for the input device, and the memory or memory 140 for the storage device. ing. On the other hand, when it is desired to search and customize the external display and keyboard (dotted line display), it is possible to change the setting of the display device to the external display and the input device to the keyboard.

  When the controller device 100 searches for peripheral devices using the communication unit 170 and detects the display device 200, the DVD-ROM drive 300, and the speaker 400, the display device is customized to the display device 200 that is an external display. The sound playback device is customized to the speaker 400, which is an external speaker, the DVD player uses the DVD drive 300 as the default setting, and the input device uses the built-in button of the controller device (PDA) 100 as the default setting. Thus, a DVD playback system can be configured.

  That is, the controller device 100 searches for a peripheral device, acquires device information of the detected peripheral device, and registers the acquired device ID of the peripheral device as a setting value of the system configuration information table 160 (registration in FIG. The system can be configured as described above.

  In addition, in order to configure the system as a PC, it is necessary to detect a keyboard, a mouse, and the like as an input device in addition to the DVD playback system described above. Further, in order to configure the system as an audio player, it is necessary to detect a speaker such as a headphone in addition to the controller device 100.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of the device information 150 in the controller device. This device information includes device attribute information in addition to the device ID, and whether or not other devices can use functions (for example, a display device, an input device, a storage device, and an audio playback device) that the device has. Is shown. Here, when other devices can be used, they are indicated by solid lines, and when they cannot be used, they are indicated by dotted lines.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the control device according to the present embodiment. The controller device searches for a peripheral device within the communicable range at the time of activation or at a timing desired by the user, and transmits an inquiry request to acquire device information of the peripheral device (S110). The device ID and device information are received from the connectable peripheral device (S120). As a result, the system configuration information table 160 is updated, an electronic device system that can be configured in the current communication environment can be recognized, and the result is presented on the display unit 180 of the control device (S130).

FIG. 7 shows a display example of the display unit 180. Here, PDA is selected, indicating that an audio player can be selected from among configurable electronic device systems (PC, DVD, Audio).

  When the user selects a desired electronic device system mode (S140), the control device 100 refers to the system configuration information table 160 to connect to each device (S150), and starts operating as a wireless communication information terminal (S160). .

  According to this embodiment, the user can easily configure a desired information terminal according to the surrounding communication environment and application.

(Modification 1)
On the other hand, when operating in a certain electronic device system, the user can automatically disconnect a communication device that is no longer needed by supporting the transition to another electronic device system. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of this system migration. Here, a case where the DVD playback system is shifted to an audio player will be described as an example.

  First, when the user selects an audio player displayed on the display unit 180 (S210), the control unit 120 refers to the system mode table (S220), and the device used in the DVD playback system is not necessary in the audio player. Is disconnected (S230). Thereafter, a new device necessary for configuring the audio player is connected (S240), and the operation as a wireless communication information terminal is started (S250).

  As a result, the user can configure the system with the minimum necessary devices by simply selecting the desired electronic device system, and can also reduce the power consumption of the entire system.

(Modification 2)
By the way, when there are electronic devices having the same device attribute information in several communication environments, it is convenient that the priorities at the time of connection are determined in advance.

  FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram of a system configuration information table according to the present modification. Here, the system mode priority is set to PC first and PDA second. Therefore, the controller device 100 first tries to start as a personal computer. At this time, the controller 100 can be activated as a PC when it can search and find a communicable wireless communication device that can satisfy the system mode: the components constituting the PC.

  For example, if the registered keyboard, mouse, and external display are at home, the user can use the controller device as a PC by starting the controller device at home, and use it as a PDA when only the controller device is present, such as when going out. Is possible.

  Therefore, at this time, the user can automatically perform a necessary device configuration corresponding to the place of use simply by turning on the power.

  The above-described embodiment is a preferable specific example of the present invention, and thus various technically preferable limitations are given. Needless to say, you can. For example, the peripheral device connected to the controller device may include a wired communication unit instead of the wireless communication unit.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an electronic device system according to an embodiment. The schematic block diagram of PDA which is a controller apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. The schematic block diagram of the display apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. The schematic block diagram of the system structure information table in a controller apparatus. The schematic block diagram of the apparatus information in a controller apparatus. The flowchart of the control apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. The figure which shows the example of a display of the display part of a control apparatus. 10 is a flowchart of migration of an electronic device system according to Modification 1. The schematic block diagram of the system configuration | structure information table which concerns on the modification 2.

Explanation of symbols

100 PDA (controller device)
120, 220 Control unit 130 Pen input unit 140, 240 Memory 150, 250 Device information 160 System configuration information table 170, 260 Communication unit 180, 230 Display unit 200 Display device 300 DVD-ROM drive 400 Speaker 500 Keyboard 600 Mouse 700 Headphone

Claims (3)

An acquisition means for acquiring device information of the electronic device;
Display means for displaying a configurable electronic device system based on the acquired device information;
Selecting means for selecting the displayed electronic device system;
An information processing apparatus comprising: a communication unit that communicates with all electronic devices constituting the selected electronic device system.   When shifting from the selected electronic device system to another electronic device system, the connection with the electronic device that has been in communication is disconnected, and communication is performed with a new electronic device for configuring the other electronic device system. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1. An acquisition means for acquiring device information of the electronic device;
Storage means for storing priorities of configurable electronic device systems;
Determining means for determining an electronic device system to be executed based on the device information and the priority of the electronic device system;
An information processing apparatus comprising: a communication unit that communicates with all the electronic devices constituting the determined electronic device system.

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