Abstract: A control method for a notification system including a notification device located in a facility, the control method including: detecting a visitor to the facility based on detection information from a first sensor; obtaining a current relationship between a first user and a second user present in the facility; and when a visitor to the first user is detected in the facility, notifying the second user of a visit by the visitor by using the notification device based on the current relationship.

Abstract: Provided is a server device (101) including: a transmitting/receiving section (201) for receiving, from a household electric appliance (102), an identifier for identifying the household electric appliance (102) and an operation status of the household electric appliance (102); an updating section (207) for estimating a consumption status of a consumer good using the received operation status so as to update the consumption status of the consumer good stored in a utilization information accumulating section (205) based on the estimated consumption status of the consumer good; and a determination section (206) for deciding whether or not to transmit a confirmation message for confirming the consumer good being used with the household electric appliance, based on the updated consumption status of the consumer good.

Abstract: A control method for a notification system including a notification device located in a facility, the control method including: detecting a visitor to the facility based on detection information from a first sensor; obtaining a current relationship between a first user and a second user present in the facility; and when a visitor to the first user is detected in the facility, notifying the second user of a visit by the visitor by using the notification device based on the current relationship.

Abstract: Provided is a control method for a notification system including a notification device located inside a building. The control method includes: (a) obtaining face information of a deliverer of an article from an outside server; (b) obtaining a camera image of a face of a visitor to the building, the camera image being captured by a camera disposed outside the building; (c) verifying whether the visitor is the deliverer by comparing the face information and the camera image; and (d) when the visitor is verified to be the deliverer, notifying, by the notification device, a user of delivery information indicating that the deliverer of the article has arrived at the building.

Abstract: Provided is a server device (101) including: a transmitting/receiving section (201) for receiving, from a household electric appliance (102), an identifier for identifying the household electric appliance (102) and an operation status of the household electric appliance (102); an updating section (207) for estimating a consumption status of a consumer good using the received operation status so as to update the consumption status of the consumer good stored in a utilization information accumulating section (205) based on the estimated consumption status of the consumer good; and a determination section (206) for deciding whether or not to transmit a confirmation message for confirming the consumer good being used with the household electric appliance, based on the updated consumption status of the consumer good.

Abstract: Provided is a server device (101) including: a transmitting/receiving section (201) for receiving, from a household electric appliance (102), an identifier for identifying the household electric appliance (102) and an operation status of the household electric appliance (102); an updating section (207) for estimating a consumption status of a consumer good using the received operation status so as to update the consumption status of the consumer good stored in a utilization information accumulating section (205) based on the estimated consumption status of the consumer good; and a determination section (206) for deciding whether or not to transmit a confirmation message for confirming the consumer good being used with the household electric appliance, based on the updated consumption status of the consumer good.

Abstract: Provided is a server device (101) including: a transmitting/receiving section (201) for receiving, from a household electric appliance (102), an identifier for identifying the household electric appliance (102) and an operation status of the household electric appliance (102); an updating section (207) for estimating a consumption status of a consumer good using the received operation status so as to update the consumption status of the consumer good stored in a utilization information accumulating section (205) based on the estimated consumption status of the consumer good; and a determination section (206) for deciding whether or not to transmit a confirmation message for confirming the consumer good being used with the household electric appliance, based on the updated consumption status of the consumer good.

Abstract: A terminal device has a network interface that forces network connection when not connected to a network. The terminal device that has a network interface includes a connection check unit that makes a check as to whether the terminal device is connected to a network, and an invalidation unit that, when the connection check unit judges that the terminal device is not connected to the network as a result of the check, invalidates a function included in the terminal device.

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: Provided is a server device (101) including: a transmitting/receiving section (201) for receiving, from a household electric appliance (102), an identifier for identifying the household electric appliance (102) and an operation status of the household electric appliance (102); an updating section (207) for estimating a consumption status of a consumer good using the received operation status so as to update the consumption status of the consumer good stored in a utilization information accumulating section (205) based on the estimated consumption status of the consumer good; and a determination section (206) for deciding whether or not to transmit a confirmation message for confirming the consumer good being used with the household electric appliance, based on the updated consumption status of the consumer good.

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: Provided a terminal device having a network interface that forces network connection when not connected to a network. A terminal device 101a that has a network interface includes: a connection check unit 109a that makes a check as to whether the terminal device 101a is connected to a network; and an invalidation unit 115a that, when the connection check unit 109a judges that the terminal device 101a is not connected to the network as a result of the check, invalidates a function included in the terminal device 101a.

Abstract: When a program transmission apparatus divides a program into a plurality of partial programs before transmission, a program reception execution apparatus executes a partial program when the partial program has already been received, and, when the execution needs to proceed to from a present partial program to a next partial program, executes the other partial program when the next partial program has been received.

Abstract: A transmitting apparatus for an interactive communication system using a broadcast wave, which includes a first storage unit, a second storage unit, and a transmitting unit. The first storage unit stores a plurality of frames of image data. The second storage unit stores control information which shows links between said plurality of frames of image data stored in the first storage unit, and which indicates a combining of a supplementary design with the image data. These supplementary designs are stored by a receiving apparatus and are combined with the image represented by the image data. The transmitting unit repeatedly transmits a predetermined number of frames of image data together with corresponding control information.

Abstract: A data transmission apparatus has a multiplexing unit that cyclically multiplexes presentation information and navigation information stored in a transmission data storage unit according to control by a multiplexing control unit and a transmission unit that transmits the multiplexed stream. The reception control unit of a data reception apparatus sets filter conditions in a filter condition storage unit of a TS decoder unit in accordance with user operation indications. The presentation information and navigation information separated by the TS decoder unit are outputted via a reproduction unit to a display unit and an audio output unit.

Abstract: When a program transmission apparatus divides a program into a plurality of partial programs before transmission, a program reception execution apparatus executes a partial program when the partial program has already been received, and, when the execution needs to proceed to from a present partial program to a next partial program, executes the other partial program when the next partial program has been received.

Abstract: When a program transmission apparatus divides a program into a plurality of partial programs before transmission, a program reception execution apparatus executes a partial program when the partial program has already been received, and, when the execution needs to proceed to from a present partial program to a next partial program, executes the other partial program when the next partial program has been received.

Abstract: A broadcasting system which includes a broadcasting apparatus and a reception apparatus and which achieves interactiveness using a broadcast wave. The broadcasting apparatus includes a content storing unit for storing the plurality of contents, each content including a set of video data and a set of control information that indicates another content that is a link destination for a present content, and a transmitting unit for multiplexing a set of video data and a plurality of sets of the same control information included in a same content as the set of video data, and for transmitting the multiplexed sets of video data and control information.

Abstract: A broadcasting system which includes a broadcasting apparatus and a reception apparatus and which achieves interactiveness using a broadcast wave. The broadcasting apparatus includes a content storing unit for storing the plurality of contents, each content including a set of video data and a set of control information that indicates another content that is a link destination for a present content, and a transmitting unit for multiplexing a set of video data and a plurality of sets of the same control information included in a same content as the set of video data, and for transmitting the multiplexed sets of video data and control information.

Abstract: A transmitting apparatus for an interactive communication system using a broadcast wave is provided. The transmitting apparatus comprises a first storing unit for storing a plurality of frames of image data, a second storing unit for storing control information, for each frame of image data, showing a link to another frame of image data stored in the first storing unit, and a transmitting unit for repeatedly transmitting a predetermined number of frames of image data together with corresponding control information.