Abstract: A method causing a processor to execute operations includes managing a plurality of first settings, one of the plurality of first setting being to control a first device in case that an operation status of a second device which is interconnected to the first device via a network has changed, receiving a second setting, the second setting being to control a third device in case that an operation status of a fourth device which is interconnected to the third device via the network has changed, determining whether conflicting operations are to be performed on a device when the plurality of first settings and the second setting are executed, extracting a setting from the first settings and the second setting, which is a cause of the conflicting operations in case that, in the determining, the conflicting operations are determined and transmitting a notification to divide a time during which the setting extracted in the extracting is executed.

Abstract: A control method includes executing a first application for operating a first appliance in order to provide a first service to a user. As a result, a first command is transmitted to the appliance corresponding to the first application. A second application is then executed for operating the first equipment in order to provide a second service to the user. As a result, a second command is transmitted to the appliance corresponding to the second application. Execution of at least the first application is terminated when the first application and the second application are alternately executed on the first appliance at least a predetermined number of times to stop the transmission of the first command to the first appliance.

Abstract: In a system that centrally manages a terminal device group composed of a plurality of terminal devices in a home, a method allows for: determining an instruction to be transmitted to one of the terminal devices according to an operation status acquired from a different one of the terminal devices; specifying, from among the terminal devices, a terminal device as a transmission destination of the instruction, with use of pieces of connection source information specifying the respective terminal devices in a network, and acquisition times of the pieces of connection source information; and transmitting the instruction to the specified terminal device. Upon receiving the instruction, the specified terminal device performs an operation based on the received instruction. The operation is in coordination with the operation status acquired from the different terminal device.

Abstract: A device classification method that includes: receiving a first action performed on a first device in the device group, for classifying the first device as belonging to the coordinated operation group; setting, when the first action is received, each of one or more devices in the device group other than the first device to a classifiable state in which the device is classifiable as belonging to the coordinated operation group; receiving a second action performed on a second device in the device group that is set to the classifiable state, for classifying the second device as belonging to the coordinated operation group; and classifying, when the second action is received, the first device and the second device as belonging to the coordinated operation group.

Abstract: A user-friendly cooperative process execution method for causing household electric devices that are registered to a server to execute cooperative processes. The server stores correspondence information associating a particular operation to be executed by a particular household electric device with one or more groups each composed of one or more household electric devices, and indicating, for each of the household electric devices in each of the groups, a control signal to be transmitted to the household electric device. The method includes: detecting whether or not the particular operation is executed; selecting one of the groups that is composed of one or more household electric devices that are registered to the server by referring to the correspondence information when the execution of the particular operation is detected; and transmitting the control signal to each of the household electric devices in the selected group.

Abstract: A function update method improving household appliance functions by enabling new and existing household appliances to perform cooperative processing. In the method, a server stores registration information listing identification information for each household appliance owned by a user, combination information listing combinations each including household appliances performing cooperative processing, and update information for each household appliance in each combination, for updating a function for performing the cooperative processing.

Abstract: A method causing a processor to execute operations includes managing a plurality of first settings, one of the plurality of first setting being to control a first device in case that an operation status of a second device which is interconnected to the first device via a network has changed, receiving a second setting, the second setting being to control a third device in case that an operation status of a fourth device which is interconnected to the third device via the network has changed, determining whether conflicting operations are to be performed on a device when the plurality of first settings and the second setting are executed, extracting a setting from the first settings and the second setting, which is a cause of the conflicting operations in case that, in the determining, the conflicting operations are determined and transmitting a notification to divide a time during which the setting extracted in the extracting is executed.

Abstract: A control method includes executing a first application for operating a first appliance in order to provide a first service to a user. As a result, a first command is transmitted to the appliance corresponding to the first application. A second application is then executed for operating the first equipment in order to provide a second service to the user. As a result, a second command is transmitted to the appliance corresponding to the second application. Execution of at least the first application is terminated when the first application and the second application are alternately executed on the first appliance at least a predetermined number of times to stop the transmission of the first command to the first appliance.

Abstract: A virtual machine system comprises: a processor for executing a secure operating system and a normal operating system; and a cache memory. The cache memory stores data in a manner that allows for identification of whether the data has been read from a secure storage area of an external main memory. The cache memory writes back data to the main memory in a manner that reduces the number of times data is intermittently written back to the secure storage area which occurs when the processor is executing the normal operating system.

Abstract: A function update method improving household appliance functions by enabling new and existing household appliances to perform cooperative processing. In the method, a server stores registration information listing identification information for each household appliance owned by a user, combination information listing combinations each including household appliances performing cooperative processing, and update information for each household appliance in each combination, for updating a function for performing the cooperative processing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a virtual machine system that includes a plurality of processors and executes a plurality of virtual machines in parallel with use of the plurality of processors. An aim thereof is to suppress power consumption without sacrificing the performance of the virtual machine system. When there are at least two processors that do not have any virtual machines allocated thereto, one of the at least two processors is supplied with power so as to be placed in a standby state, and a remaining one or more of the at least two processors are not supplied with power.

Abstract: A user-friendly cooperative process execution method for causing household electric devices that are registered to a server to execute cooperative processes. The server stores correspondence information associating a particular operation to be executed by a particular household electric device with one or more groups each composed of one or more household electric devices, and indicating, for each of the household electric devices in each of the groups, a control signal to be transmitted to the household electric device. The method includes: detecting whether or not the particular operation is executed; selecting one of the groups that is composed of one or more household electric devices that are registered to the server by referring to the correspondence information when the execution of the particular operation is detected; and transmitting the control signal to each of the household electric devices in the selected group.

Abstract: A device classification method that includes: receiving a first action performed on a first device in the device group, for classifying the first device as belonging to the coordinated operation group; setting, when the first action is received, each of one or more devices in the device group other than the first device to a classifiable state in which the device is classifiable as belonging to the coordinated operation group; receiving a second action performed on a second device in the device group that is set to the classifiable state, for classifying the second device as belonging to the coordinated operation group; and classifying, when the second action is received, the first device and the second device as belonging to the coordinated operation group.

Abstract: In a system that centrally manages a terminal device group composed of a plurality of terminal devices in a home, a method allows for: determining an instruction to be transmitted to one of the terminal devices according to an operation status acquired from a different one of the terminal devices; specifying, from among the terminal devices, a terminal device as a transmission destination of the instruction, with use of pieces of connection source information specifying the respective terminal devices in a network, and acquisition times of the pieces of connection source information; and transmitting the instruction to the specified terminal device. Upon receiving the instruction, the specified terminal device performs an operation based on the received instruction. The operation is in coordination with the operation status acquired from the different terminal device.

Abstract: A virtual machine system comprises: a processor for executing a secure operating system and a normal operating system; and a cache memory. The cache memory stores data in a manner that allows for identification of whether the data has been read from a secure storage area of an external main memory. The cache memory writes back data to the main memory in a manner that reduces the number of times data is intermittently written back to the secure storage area which occurs when the processor is executing the normal operating system.

Abstract: In a case where a task execution unit of a first virtual machine executes a dummy task according to task scheduling by an operating system, it notifies a virtual machine control unit of a priority acquired by a priority acquisition unit and a switching indication to switch the first virtual machine currently in operation to a second virtual machine. The virtual machine control unit receives the priority and the switching indication notified by the task execution unit and switches the first virtual machine currently in operation to the second virtual machine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a virtual machine system that includes a plurality of processors and executes a plurality of virtual machines in parallel with use of the plurality of processors. An aim thereof is to suppress power consumption without sacrificing the performance of the virtual machine system. When there are at least two processors that do not have any virtual machines allocated thereto, one of the at least two processors is supplied with power so as to be placed in a standby state, and a remaining one or more of the at least two processors are not supplied with power.

Abstract: In a case where a task execution unit (100) of a first virtual machine (10) executes a dummy task (110) according to task scheduling by an operating system, it notifies a virtual machine control unit (30) of a priority acquired by a priority acquisition unit (122) and a switching indication to switch the first virtual machine (10) currently in operation to a second virtual machine (20). The virtual machine control unit (30) receives the priority and the switching indication notified by the task execution unit (100) and switches the first virtual machine (10) currently in operation to the second virtual machine (20). According to this configuration, it becomes possible to reduce overheads needed to switch virtual machines.