IP Library Granted Patent US 9,485,835
Granted Patent B2
US 9,485,835 · App. 15/001,627 · Granted Nov 1, 2016

Control apparatus, control method and control system

Inventor: Shun Harada (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
H05B37/0209B64D11/0015B64D47/02G02F1/0121G02F1/17G05B15/02G06F3/14G09G3/006G09G5/10G06F3/1423G09G2320/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,485,835
App. No.
15/001,627
Granted
Nov 1, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control apparatus of the present disclosure includes a communication unit configured to receive adjustment information relating to brightness adjustment from a plurality of controlled objects capable of brightness adjustment, and to transmit an adjustment instruction relating to brightness adjustment to the plurality of controlled objects, and a controller configured to specify a first group, which includes at least one of the plurality of controlled objects adjusted brightness in a predetermined period among the plurality of controlled objects based on the adjustment information received by the communication unit, and a second group, which includes at least one of the plurality of controlled objects not included in the first group, and to determine the adjustment instruction based on the adjustment information in the plurality of controlled objects included in the first group, and to instruct the plurality of controlled objects included in the second group to adjust brightness by the instruction.

Claims (56)

1. A control apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to receive adjustment information relating to brightness adjustment from a plurality of controlled objects capable of brightness adjustment, and to transmit an adjustment instruction relating to brightness adjustment to the plurality of controlled objects; and

a controller configured to specify a first group, which includes at least one of the plurality of controlled objects adjusted brightness in a predetermined period among the plurality of controlled objects based on the adjustment information received by the communication unit, and, a second group, which includes at least one of the plurality of controlled objects not included in the first group, and to determine the adjustment instruction based on the adjustment information in the plurality of controlled objects included in the first group, and to instruct the plurality of controlled objects included in the second group to adjust brightness via the communication unit by the adjustment instruction.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller determines the adjustment instruction and instructs the plurality of controlled objects included in the second group to adjust brightness when a number of the plurality of controlled objects included in the first group is greater than a number of the plurality of controlled objects included in the second group.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of controlled objects are monitors, and

brightness adjustment is luminance adjustment of the monitors.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of controlled objects are lights, and

brightness adjustment is illuminance adjustment of the lights.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of controlled objects are electronic windows, and

brightness adjustment is transmittance adjustment of the electronic windows.

6. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

brightness adjustment is decreasing brightness of the plurality of controlled objects.

7. A control method comprising:

receiving adjustment information relating to brightness adjustment from a plurality of controlled objects capable of brightness adjustment;

specifying a first group, which includes at least one of the plurality of controlled objects adjusted brightness in a predetermined period among the plurality of controlled objects based on the adjustment information, and, a second group, which includes at least one of the plurality of controlled objects not included in the first group;

determining an adjustment instruction based on the adjustment information in the plurality of controlled objects included in the first group; and

transmitting the adjustment instruction to the plurality of controlled objects included in the second group.

8. The control method according to claim 7 ,

determining the adjustment instruction and transmitting the adjustment instruction when a number of the plurality of controlled objects included in the first group is greater than a number of the plurality of controlled objects included in the second group.

9. The control method according to claim 7 , wherein:

the plurality of controlled objects are monitors, and

brightness adjustment is luminance adjustment of the monitors.

10. The control method according to claim 7 , wherein:

the plurality of controlled objects are lights, and

brightness adjustment is illuminance adjustment of the lights.

11. The control method according to claim 7 , wherein:

the plurality of controlled objects are electronic windows, and brightness adjustment is transmittance adjustment of the electronic windows.

12. The control method according to claim 7 , wherein

brightness adjustment is decreasing brightness of the plurality of controlled objects.

13. A control system comprising:

a plurality of controlled objects and a control apparatus configured to instruct the plurality of controlled objects to adjust brightness,

wherein the control apparatus includes:

a first communication unit configured to receive adjustment information relating to brightness adjustment from the plurality of controlled objects capable of brightness adjustment, and to transmit an adjustment instruction relating to brightness adjustment to the plurality of controlled objects, and

a first controller configured to specify a first group, which includes at least one of the plurality of controlled objects adjusted brightness in a predetermined period among the plurality of controlled objects based on the adjustment information received by the first communication unit, and, a second group, which includes at least one of the plurality of controlled objects not included in the first group, and to determine the adjustment instruction based on the adjustment information in the plurality of controlled objects included in the first group, and to instruct the plurality of controlled objects included in the second group to adjust brightness via the first communication unit by the adjustment instruction, and

wherein each of the plurality of controlled objects includes:

an element capable of brightness adjustment,

an operation unit configured to receive brightness adjustment instruction of the element by a user,

a second communication unit configured to transmit the information relating to brightness adjustment received by the operation unit to the control apparatus and to receive the adjustment instruction from the control apparatus, and

a second controller configured to adjust brightness of the element based on the brightness adjustment instruction received by the operation unit and the adjustment instruction received from the control apparatus by the second communication unit.

14. The control system according to claim 13 , wherein

the first controller determines the adjustment instruction and instructs the plurality of controlled objects included in the second group to adjust brightness when a number of the plurality of controlled objects included in the first group is greater than a number of the plurality of controlled objects included in the second group.

15. The control system according to claim 13 , wherein:

the plurality of controlled objects are monitors, and

brightness adjustment is luminance adjustment of the monitors.

16. The control system according to claim 13 , wherein:

the plurality of controlled objects are lights, and

brightness adjustment is illuminance adjustment of the lights.

17. The control system according to claim 13 , wherein:

the plurality of controlled objects are electronic windows, and

brightness adjustment is transmittance adjustment of the electronic windows.

18. The control system according to claim 13 , wherein

brightness adjustment is decreasing brightness of the plurality of controlled objects.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2016
From: HARADA, SHUN
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 037746/0195 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-022053 · Feb 6, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160234910A1 · Aug 11, 2016