IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,061,385
Granted Patent B2
US 11,061,385 · App. 16/628,771 · Granted Jul 13, 2021

Method, apparatus and system for controlling device

Inventors: Yunfa Zhu (Guangdong, CN); Jiangshan Zhang (Guangdong, CN); Haiying Xian (Guangdong, CN)
Assignees: Gree Electric Appliances (Wuhan) Co., Ltd; Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai
G05B19/4186G05B19/4183G05B19/41855G06F9/44505
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,061,385
App. No.
16/628,771
Granted
Jul 13, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method, an apparatus and a system for controlling a device are provided. The method includes that: a user terminal selects a first device from multiple devices, determines the first device as a controller, select a second device from the plurality of devices, associate the second device with the controller to obtain an association relationship, and sends a control instruction to the first device, so as to make the first device control, according to the association relationship, the second device to complete an operation corresponding to the control instruction.

Claims (40)

1. A method for controlling a device, comprising:

selecting, by a user terminal, a first device from a plurality of devices and determining, by a user terminal, the first device as a controller;

selecting, by the user terminal, a second device from the plurality of devices and associating, by the user terminal, the second device with the controller to acquire an association relationship; and

sending, by the user terminal, a control instruction to the first device, so as to make the first device control, according to the association relationship, the second device to complete an operation corresponding to the control instruction;

wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the user terminal, an area where the first device is located;

determining, by the user terminal, whether the second device is located within the area where the first device is located;

wherein determining, by the user terminal whether the second device is located within the area where the first device is located comprises:

acquiring, by the first device, image information of an area where the second device is located; analyzing, by the first device, the image information with a preset model, and determining area information of the area where the second device is located according to the image information, wherein the preset model is trained with a plurality of groups of data through machine learning, and each group of data in the plurality of groups of data comprises: a background image of the second device and the area information contained in the background image; and sending, by the first device, the area information of the area where the second device is located to the user terminal, so that the user terminal determines whether the second device is located in the area where the first device is located according to the area information of the area where the second device is located and the area where the first device is located.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein associating, by the user terminal, the second device with the controller to acquire the association relationship comprises:

when the second device is located within the area where the first device is located, determining, by the user terminal, the association relationship between the first device and the second device, wherein the association relationship is used for indicating the first device to control the second device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein sending, by the user terminal, the control instruction to the first device, so as to make the first device control, according to the association relationship, the second device to complete the operation corresponding to the control instruction comprises:

determining, by the user terminal, whether the user terminal and the first device are located within an identical local area network;

when the user terminal and the first device are located within the identical local area network, sending, by the user terminal, the control instruction to the first device, so that the first device sends the control instruction to the second device, so as to make the second device complete the operation corresponding to the control instruction.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein when the user terminal and the first device are not located within the identical local area network, the method further comprises:

sending, by the user terminal, the control instruction to a server, so that the server sends the control instruction to the first device, so as to make the first device send the control instruction to the second device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the first device, whether feedback sent by the second device is received within a preset time period;

determining, by the first device, when the feedback is not received within the preset time period, that the control instruction is not successfully sent to the second device; and

when times of failing to send the control instruction achieve preset times, determining, by the first device, that the second device is offline, and sending, by the first device, a prompt message to the user terminal.

6. An apparatus for controlling a device, comprising: a hardware processor coupled with a memory and configured to execute program instructions stored on the memory, wherein the program instructions comprise:

selecting a first device from a plurality of devices and determine the first device as a controller;

selecting a second device from the plurality of devices and associate the second device with the controller to acquire an association relationship; and

sending a control instruction to the first device, so as to make the first device control, according to the association relationship, the second device to complete an operation corresponding to the control instruction;

wherein the program instructions further comprise:

determining, by the user terminal, an area where the first device is located;

determining, by the user terminal, whether the second device is located within the area where the first device is located;

wherein determining, by the user terminal, whether the second device is located within the area where the first device is located comprises:

acquiring, by the first device, image information of an area where the second device is located; analyzing, by the first device, the image information with a preset model, and determining area information of the area where the second device is located according to the image information, wherein the preset model is trained with a plurality of groups of data through machine learning, and each group of data in the plurality of groups of data comprises: a background image of the second device and the area information contained in the background image; and sending, by the first device, the area information of the area where the second device is located to the user terminal, so that the user terminal determines whether the second device is located in the area where the first device is located according to the area information of the area where the second device is located and the area where the first device is located.

7. A system for controlling a device, comprising:

a plurality of devices;

a user terminal, which is in communication connection with the plurality of devices, and configured to select a first device from the plurality of devices, determine the first device as a controller, select a second device from the plurality of devices and associate the second device with the controller to acquire an association relationship, and send a control instruction to the first device, so as to make the first device controls the second device according to the association relationship to complete an operation corresponding to the control instruction;

wherein the user terminal is further configured to determine an area where the first device is located, and determine whether the second device is located within the area where the first device is located;

wherein the first device is configured to acquire image information of an area where the second device is located, analyze the image information with a preset model, and determine area information of the area where the second device is located according to the image information, wherein the preset model is trained with a plurality of groups of data through machine learning, and each group of data in the plurality of groups of data comprises: a background image of the second device and the area information contained in the background image; and send the area information of the area where the second device is located to the user terminal, so that the user terminal determines whether the second device is located in the area where the first device is located according to the area information of the area where the second device is located and the area where the first device is located.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the system further comprises:

a server, which is in communication with the user terminal and the first device, and configured to, when the first device and the user terminal are not located in an identical local area network, receive the control instruction sent by the user terminal and send the control instruction to the first device, so as to make the first device control, according to the association relationship, the second device to complete the operation corresponding to the control instruction.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the system further comprises:

a router, connected with the user terminal, the server and the first device, and configured to, when the first device and the user terminal are not located within the identical local area network, forward the control instruction to the first device.

10. A non-transitory storage medium, the storage medium comprising a stored program, wherein the stored program implements the method for controlling the device as claimed in claim 1 .

11. A processor, the processor being configured to run a program, wherein the program implements the method for controlling the device as claimed in claim 1 when running.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR NAME FROM ZHAN, JIANGSHAN PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 051422 FRAME 0769. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 12, 2021
From: ZHU, YUNFA; ZHANG, JIANGSHAN; XIAN, HAIYING
To: GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES (WUHAN) CO., LTD; GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, INC. OF ZHUHAI
Reel/Frame 056225/0228 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2020
From: ZHU, YUNFA; ZHAN, JIANGSHAN; XIAN, HAIYING
To: GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES (WUHAN) CO., LTD; GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, INC. OF ZHUHAI
Reel/Frame 051422/0769 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201711069049.2 · Nov 2, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200257274A1 · Aug 13, 2020