Control device, control method, and control system

1. A control device comprising:

a communication unit configured to communicate, via a network, with a content supply device supplying content and a plurality of reproduction devices reproducing the content transmitted from the content supply device;

an operation unit;

a display unit; and

a control unit configured to be supplied with a signal from the operation unit and control the communication unit and the display unit,

wherein the control unit has a content list display state in which a content list received from the content supply device is displayed on a screen of the display unit, a device list display state in which respective thumbnail images of the plurality of reproduction devices are displayed on the screen in accordance with device information received from the plurality of reproduction devices, and an operation panel display state in which an operation panel is displayed to enable a desired operation function from among a number of operation functions including a reproduction function to be performed on a selected content item of the content list by one of the plurality of reproduction devices set as a control target in the device list display state,

wherein each of the screen for the content list display state, the screen for the device list display state, and the screen for the operation panel display state are separate from each other such that only one of the screen for the content list display state, the screen for the device list display state, and the screen for the operation panel display state is displayable at a time on the display unit,

wherein in the operation panel display state the screen displayed on the display unit includes (i) a picture pertaining to the selected content item, (ii) the thumbnail image of the set reproduction device, and (iii) a content list button which when activated causes the screen to be directly changed so as to cause the content list of the content list display state to be displayed,

wherein when in the content list display state the screen displayed on the display unit includes (i) the content list, (ii) the thumbnail image of the set reproduction device, (iii) an operation panel button which when activated causes the screen to be changed so as to cause the operation panel to be displayed, and (iv) a device list button which when activated causes the screen to be changed so as to cause the respective thumbnail images of the plurality of reproduction devices of the device list display state to be displayed, and

wherein in the device list display state the screen displayed on the display unit includes an indication of the set reproduction device such that in each separate screen for the content list display state, the device list display state, and the operation panel display state the set reproduction device is identified.

2. The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein each of the reproduction devices stores the thumbnail image thereof, and

wherein the device information includes the thumbnail image.

3. The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the control device has a function of reproducing the content, and

wherein the control device is capable of displaying the thumbnail image thereof in the content list display state, the device list display state, and the operation panel display state.

4. The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein, upon receipt of the content list from the content supply device, the control unit shifts to the content list display state,

wherein, upon receipt of the device information, the control unit shifts to the device list display state,

wherein, when a respective content item selected in the content list display state is reproduced, the control unit shifts to the operation panel display state, and

wherein, upon receipt of an instruction not to display the operation panel in the operation panel display state, the control unit shifts to the content list display state.

5. A control method for performing communication, via a communication unit and a network, with a content supply device supplying content and a plurality of reproduction devices reproducing the content transmitted from the content supply device, the control method comprising the steps of:

displaying, upon receipt of a content list from the content supply device, the content list on a screen of a display unit;

displaying a device list displaying respective thumbnail images of the plurality of reproduction devices on the screen in accordance with device information received from the plurality of reproduction devices; and

displaying an operation panel on the screen for enabling a desired operation function from among a number of operation functions including a reproduction function to be performed on a selected content item of the content list by one of the plurality of reproduction devices set as a control target in the step of displaying the device list,

wherein each of the screen for the content list display, the screen for the device list display, and the screen for the operation panel display are separate from each other such that only one of the screen for the content list display, the screen for the device list display, and the screen for the operation panel display is displayable at a time on the display unit,

wherein in the step of displaying the operation panel the screen displayed on the display unit includes (i) a picture pertaining to the selected content item, (ii) the thumbnail image of the set reproduction device, and (iii) a content list button which when activated causes the screen to be directly changed so as to cause the content list of the content list display state to be displayed,

wherein when in a content list display state the screen displayed on the display unit displays (i) the content list, (ii) the thumbnail image of the set reproduction device, (iii) an operation panel button which when activated causes the screen to be changed so as to cause the operation panel to be displayed, and (iv) a device list button which when activated causes the screen to be changed so as to cause the respective thumbnail images of the plurality of reproduction devices to be displayed, and

wherein the device list displayed on the screen of the display unit includes an indication of the set reproduction device such that in each separate screen for the content list display, the device list display, and the operation panel display the set reproduction device is identified.

6. A control system connecting, via a network, a content supply device supplying content, a plurality of reproduction devices reproducing the content transmitted from the content supply device, and a control device operating a selected one of the plurality of reproduction devices,

wherein the control device includes

a communication unit connected to the network and configured to communicate with the content supply device and the plurality of reproduction devices,

an operation unit,

a display unit, and

a control unit configured to be supplied with a signal from the operation unit and control the communication unit and the display unit,

wherein the control unit has a content list display state in which a content list received from the content supply device is displayed on a screen of the display unit, a device list display state in which respective thumbnail images of the plurality of reproduction devices are displayed on the screen in accordance with device information received from the plurality of reproduction devices, and an operation panel display state in which an operation panel is displayed on the screen to enable a desired operation function from among a number of operation functions including a reproduction function to be performed on a selected content item of the content list by one of the plurality of reproduction devices set as a control target,

wherein each of the screen for the content list display state, the screen for the device list display state, and the screen for the operation panel display state are separate from each other such that only one of the screen for the content list display state, the screen for the device list display state, and the screen for the operation panel display state is displayable at a time on the display unit,

wherein in the operation panel display state the screen displayed on the display unit includes (i) a picture pertaining to the selected content item, (ii) the thumbnail image of the set reproduction device, and (iii) a content list button which when activated causes the screen to be directly changed so as to cause the content list of the content list display state to be displayed,

wherein when in the content list display state the screen displayed on the display unit includes (i) the content list, (ii) the thumbnail image of the set reproduction device, (iii) an operation panel button which when activated causes the screen to be changed so as to cause the operation panel to be displayed, and (iv) a device list button which when activated causes the screen to be changed so as to cause the respective thumbnail images of the plurality of reproduction devices of the device list display state to be displayed, and

wherein in the device list display state the screen displayed on the display unit includes an indication of the set reproduction device such that in each separate screen for the content list display state, the device list display state, and the operation panel display state the set reproduction device is identified.