Screen display system and screen display method

Abstract

A device (110) generates screen information indicating the control state of the device, and sends the generated screen information to a terminal (120). The terminal (120) generates a display screen based on the screen information received from the device (110), and displays the display screen on a display unit (121). When in an initial state, the device (110) shares with the terminal (120) initial display list information (K0), which includes a character string and imagery relating to GUI screen construction and to the arrangement of each constituent part. After the device (110) begins to operate, GUI screen information including the character string and the imagery corresponding to a prescribed state is selected from the initial display list information (K0), and is then sent to the terminal (120). On the basis of the received GUI screen information, the terminal (120) references the shared initial display list information (K0), and then performs screen display processing to display the operating state of the device (110) on the display unit (121).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a screen display system and a screen display method for transferring screen information generated by a device to a terminal and displaying the screen information on the terminal. [Background technology]

[0002] By using a GUI (Graphical User Interface) screen, users can intuitively and easily operate devices. By transferring the display data of this GUI screen between devices, for example, a user can easily operate devices by using a portable terminal and operating the GUI screen on the terminal.

[0003] As a conventional technique, there is a technique for reducing the amount of GUI data stored in the storage unit of a terminal with memory capacity restrictions by storing only the glyph data used for GUI display in the storage unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). Also, in a remote desktop, there is a technique for reconstructing the screen when a screen image on a remote terminal is changed by transmitting the difference screen image, area information for the change, and drawing area information for the difference to a local terminal (see, for example, Patent Document 2 below). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-117319 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-146504 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Embedded devices that perform predetermined control operations can easily perform control operations by displaying the control content on a GUI screen. However, if the embedded device is configured to perform not only GUI screen generation processing but also drawing processing, the number of hardware components increases, making it difficult to reduce costs. For example, in a system configuration in which a terminal is connected to an embedded device via communication, it is necessary to efficiently separate the GUI functions located on the embedded device from the GUI functions located on the terminal. Furthermore, in conventional technology, image data displayed on a remote terminal is sent to a local terminal, resulting in an increase in the amount of data transferred.

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to transfer a display screen showing the status of a device to a terminal without increasing the amount of data. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the screen display system of the present invention is a screen display system that transfers screen information from an apparatus to a terminal, wherein the apparatus has a control unit that generates screen information indicating the control status of the apparatus itself, and a communication unit that transmits the screen information generated by the control unit to the terminal, and the terminal has a processing unit that generates a display screen based on the screen information received from the apparatus, and a display unit that displays the display screen generated by the processing unit, and the control unit of the apparatus shares initial display list information, including character strings and images, related to the screen construction of a GUI (Graphical User Interface) and the arrangement of each component part with the terminal in an initial state, and after the apparatus is operated, selects screen information including the character strings and images corresponding to a predetermined state from the initial display list information and transmits it to the terminal, and the processing unit of the terminal refers to the shared initial display list information based on the received screen information and performs screen display processing of the operating status of the apparatus.

[0008] Furthermore, the device does not have a display unit for the screen information within itself, and the terminal refers to the shared initial display list information based on the received screen information, performs screen display processing corresponding to the state of the device, and displays it on the display unit.

[0009] The device also assigns an identifier to each of the strings of characters and images included in the initial display list information and transmits the identifier to the terminal as the screen information, and the terminal refers to the shared initial display list information based on the identifier of the received screen information and performs screen display processing corresponding to the state of the device.

[0010] The device is also characterized in that it transmits information regarding the shape, character string, display coordinates, and color of each of the component parts to the terminal as the initial display list information.

[0011] The device is also characterized in that it updates the screen information in response to the change in state, generates only information regarding the shape, text, display coordinates, and color of the component parts to be updated as the screen information, and transmits it to the terminal.

[0012] The terminal has an operation unit, and transmits operation information from the operation unit to the device, and the device performs control based on the operation information received from the terminal, updates the screen information based on the control, and transmits the updated screen information to the terminal.

[0013] The terminal is also characterized in that it is communicatively connected to a plurality of the devices, displays display information of the communicatively connected devices on the display unit, and controls the devices by operating the operation unit.

[0014] The device is characterized in that it is an embedded device that performs predetermined control with limited uses.

[0015] Furthermore, a screen display method of the present invention is a screen display method for transferring screen information from an apparatus to a terminal, wherein the apparatus generates screen information indicating its own control status and transmits the generated screen information to the terminal, the terminal displays a display screen based on the screen information received from the apparatus, the apparatus shares initial display list information including character strings and images relating to GUI (Graphical User Interface) screen construction and the arrangement of each component with the terminal in an initial state, and after the apparatus is operated, selects screen information including the character strings and images corresponding to a predetermined state from the initial display list information and transmits it to the terminal, and the terminal refers to the shared initial display list information based on the received screen information and performs screen display processing of the operating status of the apparatus.

[0016] According to the above configuration, the screen display system shares initial display list information with the terminal when the device is in an initial state. After the device is started, the device selects screen information corresponding to a predetermined state from the initial display list information and transmits it to the terminal, allowing the terminal to display a display screen indicating the device state on the display unit. In this way, by sharing the initial display list information between the device and the terminal in advance, the amount of data required for screen information displayed on the terminal after the device is started can be reduced.

[0017] The GUI screen information sent from the device to the terminal consists of the shape, text characters, coordinates, color, etc. of each object, and is small in data volume, rather than the image data itself. This allows the GUI screen data to be transferred from the device to the terminal with a small amount of data, reducing the processing load on the device. Furthermore, when updating the GUI screen, the device sends screen information such as the shape, text characters, coordinates, color, etc. of only the updated objects to the terminal. This further reduces the amount of data transferred when updating the GUI screen, making it possible to transfer a small amount of data from the device to the terminal.

[0018] The device is, for example, an embedded device that performs specific control for limited purposes and does not have a display unit. A user can grasp the control status of the device on the display screen of the display unit on a terminal and control the device by operating the operation unit. This eliminates the need for screen drawing on the device, reducing the processing load and enabling cost reduction of the device.

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to transfer a display screen showing the status of a device to a terminal without increasing the amount of data. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a screen display system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating functions of the screen display system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example of a hardware configuration of the screen display system according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a transfer state of display data by the screen display system when the system is started up. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the transfer state of a list of character strings and images by the screen display system at the time of system startup. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the update state of character strings and images by the screen display system after the system is started up. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating display and display update by the screen display system. (Part 1) [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating display and display update by the screen display system. (Part 2) [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the display and display update process by the screen display system (part 1). [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the display and display update process by the screen display system (part 2). [Figure 11]FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the transfer state during display and display update according to the prior art (part 1). [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the transfer state during display and display update according to the conventional technology (part 2). [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a screen display on a terminal by the screen display system according to the embodiment (part 1). [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a screen display on a terminal by the screen display system according to the embodiment (part 2). [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conventional embedded device. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating another function of the screen display system according to the embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining the creation state of a conventional GUI application. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an example of an update process of a GUI application in the screen display system according to the embodiment. [Figure 19] Figure 19 is an explanatory diagram comparing development man-hours for different types of embedded devices. (Part 1) [Figure 20] Figure 20 is an explanatory diagram comparing development efforts for different types of embedded devices. (Part 2) [Figure 21] Figure 21 is an explanatory diagram comparing development man-hours for different types of embedded devices. (Part 3) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] (Embodiment) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a screen display system and a screen display method according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a screen display system according to an embodiment. The screen display system 100 includes an embedded device (local device) 110 and a terminal 120 (remote device).

[0023] The embedded device 110 is a device for a specific purpose with a limited use (operation), such as a remote control, digital camera, IC recorder, in-vehicle device, medical device, surveillance camera, or intrusion detector. The terminal 120 is a device (smart device) that can be carried and moved by a user, such as a smartphone or tablet. The terminal 120 and the embedded device 110 are connected for communication, for example, wirelessly via Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or the like.

[0024] Sensors A and B (111), LED1 (112), etc. are connected to the embedded device 110, and a control unit (not shown) generates GUI screen information. The embedded device 110 also has a communication unit that transmits the GUI screen information generated by the control unit to the terminal 120. For example, the control unit of the embedded device 110 performs predetermined processing based on the detection of sensors A and B (111) connected to the embedded device 110, and displays the processing results on LED1 (112), etc. The control unit of the embedded device 110 also performs predetermined control operations to control the embedded device 110 based on operation information from the terminal 120.

[0025] In this control operation, the control unit of the embedded device 110 generates GUI screen information regarding the control state, for example, the on / off state of LED1 (112), based on values ​​detected by sensors A and B (111) and information on user operations.

[0026] Here, the embedded device 110 does not display the generated GUI screen information within its own device, but transmits it to the terminal 120 and displays it on the terminal 120. In other words, the embedded device 110 does not have a display unit.

[0027] The terminal 120 has a communication unit that receives GUI screen information transmitted from the embedded device 110, a control unit that controls the display of the GUI screen information, and a display unit 121 that displays the GUI screen information. The display unit 121 can also receive user operations via a touch panel or the like, and the control unit transmits operation information based on the input of the user operation to the embedded device 110.

[0028] The above-described screen display system 100 transmits GUI screen information generated by the embedded device 110 to the terminal 120, and displays the GUI screen on the display unit 121 of the terminal 120. That is, the GUI screen controlled and processed by the embedded device 110 is displayed on the display unit 121 of the terminal 120.

[0029] 2 is a diagram showing the functions of the screen display system according to the embodiment, illustrating the internal functions of the embedded device 110 and the terminal 120. In FIG. 2, functions relating to the display of the GUI screen are mainly described.

[0030] The embedded device 110 has a GUI application 201 that is executed by the control unit. The GUI application 201 includes a screen construction processing unit 211 that constructs a GUI screen. The screen construction processing unit 211 generates component placement information k for components included in the constructed GUI screen and transmits it to the terminal 120 as GUI screen information K.

[0031] The GUI screen information K (component placement information k) includes the placement positions of the components of the GUI screen displayed on the display unit 121 of the terminal 120, for example, the on / off positions of the sensors A and B (111) and LED1 (112) shown on the GUI screen displayed on the display unit 121 of the terminal 120 in Figure 1, and includes, for example, coordinate information on the GUI screen.

[0032] The terminal 120 includes a screen rendering processing unit 220. The screen rendering processing unit 220 performs screen rendering processing based on the GUI screen information K received from the embedded device 110, and outputs the GUI screen to the display unit 121 for display.

[0033] When the values ​​of sensors A and B (111) connected to the embedded device 110 change, the display contents of the sensor values ​​corresponding to sensors A and B (111) change on the GUI screen displayed on the display unit 121 of the terminal 120. Similarly, the on / off state of LED1 (112) in the embedded device 110 is displayed on the display unit 121 of the terminal 120 (see FIG. 1 for the display state).

[0034] Furthermore, by operating the operation unit 221 provided in the terminal 120, operation information S can be sent to the embedded device 110. For example, the on / off state of LED1 (112) on the GUI screen displayed on the display unit 121 shown in Fig. 1 can be changed by operating a button. At this time, the GUI application 201 provided in the embedded device 110 performs display control to update the GUI screen based on the operation information S of the terminal 120.

[0035] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the screen display system according to the embodiment, which illustrates an example of the hardware configuration of each of the embedded device 110 and the terminal 120 described above.

[0036] The embedded device 110 includes a control unit (CPU) 301, a read-only memory (ROM) 302, a random access memory (RAM) 303, a storage unit 304 such as a semiconductor memory or a disk drive, and a communication interface (I / F) 305. The CPU 301 to the communication I / F 305 are connected to each other via a bus 308.

[0037] The CPU 301 is an arithmetic processing unit that controls the entire embedded device 110. The CPU 301 executes the GUI application 201, generates the above-mentioned GUI screen, and transfers it to the terminal 120. The ROM 302 is a non-volatile memory that stores the program of the GUI application 201, etc. The RAM 303 is a volatile memory that is used as a work area when the CPU 301 executes the arithmetic processing of the program of the GUI application 201. The storage unit 304 can store and hold data for executing the functions of the embedded device 110, other applications, etc.

[0038] The communication interface 305 manages the interface for network connection with the terminal 120 and controls the input and output of information to be communicated. Specifically, the communication interface (I / F) 305 is connected to a network 310 such as a wireless / wired local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or the Internet, and communicatively connects the embedded device 110 to the terminal 120.

[0039] The embedded device 110 has a function of generating GUI screen information K (component arrangement information k) for displaying a GUI screen by the CPU 301 executing the GUI application 201 as a program, and transmitting the generated GUI screen information K to the terminal 120. The function of transmitting the GUI screen information K to the terminal 120 and receiving operation information S from the terminal 120 can be realized by the communication I / F 305.

[0040] The terminal 120 also includes a control unit (CPU) 311, a ROM 312, a RAM 313, a storage unit 314 such as a semiconductor memory, a communication I / F 315, a touch panel 316, and a display 317. The CPU 311 to the display 317 are connected to each other via a bus 318.

[0041] The touch panel 316 also has buttons for operating the embedded device 110. The touch panel 316 corresponds to the operation unit 221 in FIG. 2. The display 317 is a display device that displays a GUI screen based on program execution by the CPU 311, and corresponds to the display unit 121 in FIGS. 1 and 2. For example, a thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display unit, a plasma display unit, an organic EL display unit, or the like can be used for the display 317. The touch panel 316 is disposed on the display 317, and by operating buttons on the GUI screen displayed on the display 317 on the touch panel 316, operation information S at the time of button operation can be output.

[0042] In this way, the terminal 120 can also be configured with hardware including the CPU 311, ROM 312, RAM 313, etc. shown in Fig. 3. The terminal 120 has a function of receiving GUI screen information K (component arrangement information k) from the embedded device 110 and drawing a GUI screen on the display 317 based on the received GUI screen information K. The screen drawing function can be realized by the CPU 311 executing a program. Furthermore, the function of receiving the GUI screen information K from the embedded device 110 and transmitting operation information S of the touch panel 316 to the embedded device 110 can be realized by the communication I / F 315. The terminal 120 can be, for example, a general-purpose tablet, smartphone, or portable PC.

[0043] 4 is a diagram illustrating a transfer state of display data when the screen display system is started up. In this embodiment, in an initial state such as when the system is started up, the local device (embedded device) 110 and the remote device (terminal) 120 share static data related to display (images, character strings, etc.).

[0044] For example, when the system is started, the local device (embedded device) 110 transfers information (initial display list information) of a list of character strings and images (images, character strings, etc.) as static data for display stored in the memory unit 304 to the remote device (terminal) 120 via the network 310 in one batch.

[0045] Additionally, before the system is started, information on a list of character strings and images (images, character strings, etc.) may be transferred from cloud server 400 or the like to terminal 120 as static data for display.

[0046] This static data for display (list of character strings and images) is held as the same data in the storage unit 304 of the embedded device 110 and the storage unit 314 of the terminal 120 at the time of system startup.

[0047] This allows the embedded device 110 to similarly retain the static display data that the terminal 120 has at system startup. The same static display data that both the terminal 120 and the embedded device 110 have at system startup is GUI screen information at system startup, and is referred to as initial display list information K0.

[0048] Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the transfer state of a list of character strings and images by the screen display system at system startup. Fig. 5 shows an example of a list 500 of character strings and images corresponding to the initial display list information K0 at system startup. Fig. 5 also shows an example in which the list 500 of character strings and images of the initial display list set in the initial display list information K0 is transferred in bulk from the embedded device 110 to the terminal 120 via the network at system startup.

[0049] The list of character strings and images 500 includes a list of character strings 510 and a list of images 520. The list of character strings and images 500 is, for example, information on a list of character strings and a list of images that can be set in the embedded device 110. However, the list of character strings and images is not limited to this, and may be information on a list of character strings and a list of images that are set in the embedded device 110 at the time of system startup.

[0050] The example list of character strings and images 500 shown in Figure 5 is a list of character strings and images set in the embedded device 110 at system startup. The embedded device 110 shows the setting state of some character strings and images. Here, because the embedded device 110 does not have a display unit, the character string "ABC" and the image "star (★) shape" are not actually displayed on the embedded device 110 side in Figure 5.

[0051] The embedded device 110 stores, for example, a list of various character strings and images required for operation in advance.

[0052] The embedded device 110 stores information about character strings by number (record) in the character string list 510. For example, number 1 is the character string "aaa" and number 2 is the character string "ABC".

[0053] The embedded device 110 stores image information by number (record) in the image list 520. For example, number 1 is an image "star (★) shape", and number 2 is an image "triangle (▲) shape".

[0054] The terminal 120 can display the image information set on the embedded device 110 side on the display unit 121 of the terminal 120 by transferring the initial display list information K0 consisting of information on the list 500 of character strings and images from the embedded device 110.

[0055] The numerical value "100" on the embedded device 110 is, for example, a sensor value detected by the embedded device 110 using a sensor or the like after the system is started. After the system is started, which will be described below, the embedded device 110 sequentially transfers the sensor values ​​detected over time to the terminal 120.

[0056] Furthermore, due to functional expansion of the embedded device 110, the character strings and images handled by the embedded device 110, i.e., the character strings and images held by the embedded device 110, may be updated. In this case, the initial display list information K0 of character strings and images is updated for the embedded device 110. Then, the updated initial display list information K0 may be transferred in a lump from the embedded device 110 or the cloud server 400 to the remote device (terminal) 120.

[0057] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the update state of character strings and images by the screen display system after the system is started up. In the example of Fig. 6, it is assumed that at a certain time after the system is started up, the character string "ABC" and the image "star (★) shape" are selected from the list of character strings and images 500 due to the operational transition of the embedded device 110.

[0058] Based on the passage of time (operational transition) after system startup, the embedded device 110 selects from the acquired initial display list information K0 text and images corresponding to the changing display content (changes in setting content as it is not actually displayed) and notifies the terminal 120 of this as GUI screen information K (component placement information k).

[0059] Here, the value "100" on the embedded device 110 is a sensor value detected by a sensor or the like of the embedded device 110 after the system is started up.

[0060] 6, it is assumed that the embedded device 110 selected the corresponding character string "ABC" and image "star (★) shape" from the character string list 510 at a certain time. In this case, the embedded device 110 transfers the character string number "2" from the character string list 510 and the display image number "1" from the image list 520 as GUI screen information K to the terminal 120. In addition, the embedded device 110 transfers the detected sensor value "100" to the terminal 120 by including it in the GUI screen information K.

[0061] The embedded device 110 includes information about the arrangement of characters and components (for example, the arrangement and area (size) of images and character strings, and the overlapping state of images and characters and images) in the GUI screen information K. In the example of Fig. 6, the GUI screen information K includes the position coordinates (x, y), size (w, h), and character string number "2" for the character string "ABC".

[0062] Furthermore, GUI screen information K includes, for the image "star (★) shape", the position coordinates (x, y), size (w, h), and display image number "1". Furthermore, GUI screen information K includes, for the sensor value "100", the position coordinates (x, y), size (w, h), and display value "100".

[0063] In this way, the embedded device 110 notifies the terminal 120 of GUI screen information K including the selected text, image, and sensor value, so that the terminal 120 can display the information of the screen selected by the embedded device 110 on the display unit 121.

[0064] Thereafter, each time a character, an image, or a sensor value is changed, the embedded device 110 notifies the terminal 120 of the updated GUI screen information K. At this time, the embedded device 110 only needs to notify the terminal 120 of the number (identifier) ​​that identifies the character string and image to be updated for the character string and image in the GUI screen information K, thereby reducing the amount of data to be transferred.

[0065] Furthermore, the terminal 120 has already acquired information about the images to be displayed by transferring the initial display list information K0, which is made up of information about the list 500 of character strings and images, at system startup. Therefore, the terminal 120 can display images using only the character strings and image numbers to be updated, and display processing can be simplified. Thus, according to the embodiment, when updating an image, there is no need to transfer the entire data (pixel image) sequentially, which reduces the amount of data to be transferred.

[0066] (GUI screen transfer process) 7 and 8 are diagrams illustrating display and display update by the screen display system. FIG. 7 shows the state of the GUI screen update operation. The embedded device 110 updates the GUI screen based on, for example, a change in the detection state of the sensor value. However, this is not limiting, and the GUI screen of the embedded device 110 can also be updated based on, for example, an operation by the terminal 120.

[0067] 7 shows an example in which the embedded device 110 updates a GUI screen in response to an operation on the terminal 120 displaying the GUI screen. The location to be updated is touched on the touch panel of the display unit 121 of the terminal 120. For example, assume that an operation to change the display coordinate position (x, y) of a rectangular (□)-shaped component is performed. In this case, the terminal 120 touches the rectangular (□)-shaped component on the GUI screen and performs a drag operation or the like to change the display coordinate position (x, y), thereby transmitting operation information S including the updated coordinates (tx, ty) to the embedded device 110. The terminal 120 can similarly transmit operation information S for updating the shape, character string, position (coordinates), color, etc. of other components to the embedded device 110 by performing similar operations.

[0068] 8 shows the transfer state of the updated GUI screen. On the embedded device 110 side, the GUI screen after update by operation of the terminal 120 or the like is transferred to the terminal 120.

[0069] The embedded device 110 updates the GUI screen based on operations on the terminal 120, etc. In the example shown in Fig. 8, for a rectangular (□) shaped component, information on the coordinate position (x', y') of the updated display is generated. Also, for a triangular (△) shaped component, information on the color changed to yellow is generated. Also, information on the changed character string "aiu" is generated.

[0070] Then, the embedded device 110 transmits only the information of the updated (changed) component as component placement information k' to the terminal 120. In the example of Fig. 6, the embedded device 110 transmits to the terminal 120, as component placement information k', information on the coordinate position (x', y') of the updated display of the square (□) shaped component, information on the triangular (△) shaped component after changing its color to yellow, and information on the changed character string "aiu".

[0071] In this way, when the GUI screen is changed (updated), the embedded device 110 transmits only the component placement information k' that has been updated on the GUI screen to the terminal 120. Here, the component placement information k' transmitted during an update may simply be information on updated numbers for character strings and images, as shown in Fig. 6. This eliminates the need for the embedded device 110 to transmit image data for the entire GUI screen each time the GUI screen is updated, and allows the embedded device 110 to transmit only the minimum amount of component placement information k' required to update the display screen, thereby reducing the amount of data transferred.

[0072] 9 and 10 are flowcharts showing the display and display update processing by the screen display system, mainly showing the processing performed by the CPU 301 on the embedded device 110 side and the CPU 311 on the terminal 120 side, respectively.

[0073] 9 shows the state at the time of system startup, and first, the embedded device 110 determines whether the system is starting up (step S901). For example, the embedded device 110 waits until it starts up or until it establishes a communication connection with the terminal 120 (step S901: No), and when it starts up or establishes a communication connection with the terminal 120 (step S901: Yes), it performs the following processing.

[0074] Next, the embedded device 110 acquires a list of character strings for image display and a list of images (step S902). For example, the information on the list of character strings and the list of images is set by external input to the embedded device 110 via the communication I / F 305 or by operation on the embedded device itself. Note that the embedded device 110 may previously store the information on the list of character strings and the list of images in a non-volatile state.

[0075] The list of character strings and images set in step S902 may be the minimum number of characters and images used by the embedded device 110. For example, the character strings may be limited to character strings such as "sensor A," "sensor B," and "LED1" for identifying the sensors A and B (111) and LED1 (112) connected to the embedded device 110 shown in FIG. 1. The images may be limited to images such as "square (□) shape," "circle (◯) shape," and "star (★) shape" for identifying the state of the detected values ​​of the sensors A and B (111) and LED1 (112) connected to the embedded device 110 shown in FIG. 1. Color information may also be assigned to each image.

[0076] Next, the embedded device 110 generates a list of the set character strings and images as initial display list information K0 at system startup (step S903). The embedded device 110 stores and holds the generated initial display list information K0 at system startup in the storage unit 304. Then, the embedded device 110 transfers the generated initial display list information K0 at system startup to the terminal 120 via the communication I / F 305 (step S904).

[0077] The terminal 120 stores the initial display list information K0 transferred from the embedded device 110 in the storage unit 314 (step S905).

[0078] This allows the embedded device 110 and the terminal 120 to share the same initial display list information K0.

[0079] 10 shows the state when the GUI screen is updated. When updating the GUI screen information K, the embedded device 110 transfers the updated GUI screen information K to the terminal 120. For example, when the embedded device 110 receives operation information S from the terminal 120, it updates the GUI screen information K based on the operation information S.

[0080] In the example shown in Fig. 10, the coordinate position of the image of a triangular (△) component and the information of the character string have been updated by operating the terminal 120. The coordinate position of the image of the triangular (△) component has been changed from (x, y) to (x', y'). Also, the character string has been changed from "ABCDE" to "XYZ."

[0081] In this case, the embedded device 110 generates only the image and text information of the updated component as component placement information k' (step S1001). In the example of Fig. 10, the embedded device 110 generates triangle (△) shape information (unchanged), new coordinate position (x', y'), and color (e.g., blue) information (unchanged). Also, for the character string component, it generates new character string "XYZ" information, display coordinate position (x, y) information (unchanged), and color (e.g., white) information (unchanged).

[0082] Then, the CPU 301 of the embedded device 110 transmits the component placement information k' of only the component parts that have been changed by the update to the terminal 120 via the communication I / F 305 (step S1002).

[0083] The terminal 120 receives the component placement information k' transmitted from the embedded device 110 via the communication I / F 315 (step S1003). Then, the terminal 120 performs a screen drawing process for the received component placement information k (step S1004).

[0084] At this time, the terminal 120 holds the GUI screen information K up to that point, and performs the drawing process by changing only the display state of the component parts that have been updated by the reception.

[0085] That is, the terminal 120 draws the unupdated circular (◯) and square (□) shaped components without making any changes. Then, for the updated triangular (△) shaped components, the terminal 120 draws the display position of the triangle (△) shape at the new coordinate position (x', y') in the same color as before the update (e.g., blue). For the updated character string components, the terminal 120 draws the new character string "XYZ" at the same coordinate position (x, y) as before the update in the same color as before the update (e.g., white).

[0086] In this way, the embedded device 110 transfers the GUI screen information K to the terminal 120 as part placement information k consisting of data for each updated component part, so there is no need to send image data (pixel image) for the entire screen each time an update is made. In the example of Fig. 10, only part placement information k' for the part P that has been changed due to the update is generated and transferred from the embedded device 110 to the terminal 120, so the amount of data to be transferred can be reduced. Also, with regard to the GUI screen information K to be transferred (updated part placement information k'), as shown in Fig. 5, it is only necessary to transfer information on the updated character string and image number (identifier information), which further reduces the amount of data to be transferred.

[0087] As a result, the embedded device 110 does not need to transmit image data for the entire screen each time the GUI screen is updated, but transmits only the minimum amount of component placement information k' required to update the display screen, making it possible to reduce the amount of data transferred between the embedded device 110 and the terminal 120 even more than the amount of component placement information k. Also, in the terminal 120, the display unit 121 can be updated with the minimum amount of data, reducing the processing load for drawing.

[0088] (Comparison with conventional image data transfer) 11 and 12 are flowcharts showing the transfer state during display and display update according to the prior art.

[0089] 11 shows the transfer status of a display screen from device 1101 to terminal 1111. Device 1101 creates display data G (step S1101) and performs a drawing process on the display screen of device 1101 (step S1102). It also transmits the created display data G to terminal 1111 (step S1103).

[0090] The terminal 1111 receives the display data G transmitted from the device 1101 (step S1104). Then, the terminal 1111 performs screen rendering processing of the received display data G (step S1105) and displays it on the display screen 1112.

[0091] 12 shows the transfer status of the updated GUI screen. When updating the display screen, the device 1101 transfers the updated display data G' to the terminal 1111.

[0092] As shown in Figure 12, display data G' has been updated in comparison with the display data G before the update, with the coordinate position of the triangular (△) shaped component and the text information updated. The coordinate position of the triangular (△) shaped component has been changed from (x, y) to (x', y'). Also, the text has been changed from "ABCDE" to "XYZ."

[0093] However, in the conventional technology, even when the device 1101 updates (changes) the display data G, the screen drawing process is the same as that of Fig. 11, as shown in Fig. 12. As a result, the device 1101 creates updated display data G' for all components (step S1201) and performs drawing process on the display screen of the device 1101 (step S1202). The created display data G' is also transmitted to the terminal 1111 (step S1203).

[0094] The terminal 1111 receives the display data G' transmitted from the device 1101 (step S1204). Then, the terminal 1111 performs screen rendering processing for the received display data G' (step S1205) and displays it on the display screen 1112.

[0095] 12 has the same data size as the pre-update display data G. That is, the display data G and the display data G' have a data amount corresponding to the entire image (all pixels) of the display screen 1112.

[0096] As described above, in the conventional technology, image data for the entire screen is transmitted, so the data size of the display data G transferred from the device 1101 to the terminal 1111 is larger than that of the embodiment. Furthermore, even when updating the GUI screen, image data for the entire screen is transmitted, so the data size of the display data G' transferred from the device 1101 to the terminal 1111 is the same as that of the display data G, but is larger than that of the embodiment.

[0097] (Example of remote display of GUI screen according to embodiment) Various application examples in which the GUI screen of the above-mentioned screen display system (embedded device 110) is displayed on the terminal 120 will be described below.

[0098] 13 and 14 are diagrams illustrating examples of screen displays on a terminal by the screen display system according to the embodiment.

[0099] 13 shows an example in which GUI screen information K generated by an embedded device 110 in a factory 1300 is displayed on the display unit 121 of a terminal 120. The embedded device 110 is, for example, a part of a production line for parts produced in the factory 1300. By carrying the terminal 120, a user can operate the embedded device 110 by viewing the display unit 121 at a location away from the embedded device 110, without having to operate the embedded device 110 directly at its location.

[0100] For example, if the embedded device 110 is installed in a clean room, the terminal 120 can display the control status of the embedded device 110 even if it is located outside the clean room. This allows the embedded device 110 to be operated from a remote location, without being limited to the location where the embedded device 110 is installed.

[0101] In the embodiment, the user can operate the embedded device 110 by looking at the display unit 121 of the terminal 120, even if the embedded device 110 does not have a display screen. In this case, costs can be reduced because a display unit is not provided in the embedded device 110. Furthermore, by communicatively connecting multiple embedded devices 110 to the terminal 120, the user can switch between the embedded devices 110 while looking at the display unit 121 of one terminal 120, and the monitoring of the operating status, etc., of the switched embedded device 110 can be displayed on the display unit 121 of the terminal 120.

[0102] 14 shows an example in which GUI screen information K generated by an embedded device 110 in a certain factory 1401 is displayed on the display unit 121 of a terminal 120 in another factory 1402. The embedded device 110 is, for example, a part of a production line for parts produced in the factory 1401. By operating the terminal 120 in the other factory 1402, a user can operate the embedded device 110 while viewing the display unit 121 at a location away from the embedded device 110, without having to operate it directly at the embedded device 110's location.

[0103] For example, if the embedded device 110 is installed in a factory 1401 in another country, the GUI screen information K of the embedded device 110 can be displayed by operating the terminal 120 located at the factory 1402 in the home country. This allows the embedded device 110 to be operated at a remote location, without being limited to the installation location of the embedded device 110, and enables remote maintenance of the embedded device 110 from the terminal 120, for example.

[0104] (Comparison of the conventional technology and the embedded device of the embodiment) 15 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conventional embedded device. The diagram shows a conventional embedded device 1501 having the same functions as the embodiment (see FIG. 2). The conventional embedded device 1501 includes a sensor 1511, an LED 1512, a GUI application 1521, a display unit 1541, and an operation unit 1542.

[0105] The GUI application 1521 includes a screen construction processing unit 1531 and a screen drawing processing unit 1532 in order to display a GUI screen on the display unit 1541 based on the component placement information k.

[0106] As described above, the conventional embedded device 1501 has hardware such as an operation unit 1542 such as a touch panel and a display unit 1541 such as an LCD screen, which increases the weight and size of the embedded device 1501 and also increases the cost of components, making it difficult to reduce the cost. Also, the screen drawing process performed by the screen drawing processing unit 1532 places a heavy processing load on the device and requires a large amount of memory, so that a high-performance control unit (a microcomputer such as a CPU) and a large amount of memory are required to execute the GUI application 1521, making it difficult to reduce the cost of the embedded device 1501.

[0107] In contrast, in the embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the screen rendering processing unit 220 and the display unit 121 are provided on the terminal 120 side, not on the embedded device 110. The embedded device 110 transmits GUI screen information K (component arrangement information k) to the terminal 120. In this way, the embedded device 110 can reduce costs by providing the hardware required for screen rendering processing and display in a general-purpose smart device (terminal 120). Furthermore, the embedded device 110 can reduce the processing load and memory usage required for screen rendering processing and display.

[0108] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, it is possible to eliminate the waste of displaying the same GUI screen on the embedded device 110 and the terminal 120, and by displaying the GUI screen only on the terminal 120 carried by the user, it is possible to present the GUI screen only to the user who views it, and it is also possible to eliminate the waste of power consumption and the like that accompanies displaying the GUI screen on the embedded device 110.

[0109] Since the terminal 120 is originally equipped with hardware for screen drawing processing and display, the processing load and memory usage for screen drawing processing and display on the terminal 120 do not increase, and costs do not rise. Furthermore, by providing the operation unit on the terminal 120 side rather than on the embedded device 110 side, the cost of the embedded device 110 can be further reduced.

[0110] Fig. 16 is a diagram illustrating another function of the screen display system according to the embodiment. In the example illustrated in Fig. 16, one terminal 120 is communicatively connected to a plurality of embedded devices 110 (110A to 110C) of different systems (types).

[0111] In the embodiment, as described above, the hardware for screen drawing processing and display is provided in the terminal 120, rather than in the embedded device 110. In this system configuration, as shown in Fig. 16, by communicatively connecting one terminal 120 to multiple embedded devices 110 (110A to 110C), it becomes possible to display GUI screens of multiple embedded devices 110 (110A to 110C) on one terminal 120. It also becomes possible to control multiple embedded devices 110 (110A to 110C) with one terminal 120.

[0112] For example, by operating the terminal 120 to switch to one embedded device 110A and establish a communication connection, the GUI screen being controlled by the connected embedded device 110A can be displayed on the display unit 121 of the terminal 120, and the connected embedded device 110A can be controlled by operating the operation unit 221 of the terminal 120.

[0113] According to the system configuration shown in FIG. 16, it is possible to eliminate the screen drawing processing unit 1532, the display unit 1541, and the operation unit 1542 (see FIG. 15) that were previously provided in each of, for example, three embedded devices 110 (110A to 110C), and it is possible to eliminate unnecessary GUI displays at the locations where the embedded devices 110 are installed, thereby significantly reducing the cost of the entire system.

[0114] 17 is a diagram for explaining the creation of a conventional GUI application. Next, the conventional method and the embodiment will be compared from the viewpoint of GUI application creation. The embedded device 110 in FIG. 17 shows an example in which there is no function for displaying a GUI screen.

[0115] In such a conventional embedded device 110, it was necessary to create a GUI application 1721 on the external computer 1710 side, such as a PC, for each configuration of the embedded device 110. In the GUI application 1721, as described above, the screen construction processing unit 1731 generates component placement information k, and the screen drawing processing unit 1732 draws a GUI screen to be displayed on the display unit 1741. In addition, operation information from the operation unit 1742 is transmitted to the embedded device 110.

[0116] In the above configuration, the number of types of GUI application 1721 on the external computer 1710 increases with each change in the system configuration (type) of the embedded device 110, and it is necessary to create a GUI application 1721 for each system configuration. This results in a problem that the software structure and functions of the GUI application 1721 become complicated, the number of development steps increases, and it is difficult to reduce development costs.

[0117] In contrast to this, according to the system configuration of the embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, in the embedded device 110 of each system configuration, only the minimum part of the GUI application processing that depends on the configuration of the embedded device 110 is arranged within the embedded device 110. In other words, the GUI application 201 is arranged in the embedded device 110, and the screen drawing processing unit 220 and the display unit 121 (and the operation unit 221) are arranged in the terminal 120.

[0118] As a result, on the smart device (terminal 120) side, the screen rendering processing unit 220 can perform GUI application processing as a general-purpose processing of "performing screen rendering based on component placement information k." This allows a single type of GUI application for the terminal 120 to be compatible with embedded devices 110 of different configurations, thereby reducing the number of development steps. In other words, the screen rendering processing unit 220 of the terminal 120 only needs to have a single function of performing screen rendering based on component placement information k transmitted from the embedded device 110, making it possible to generalize the function and reduce development costs compared to conventional techniques.

[0119] 17, the GUI application 1721 (screen construction processing unit 1731, screen drawing processing unit 1732) needs to be changed when the OS of the external computer 1710 is upgraded, etc. In this case, all of the individual GUI applications 1721 need to be corrected and retested, which increases the number of development steps.

[0120] In contrast to this, according to the system configuration of the embodiment (see FIG. 2), one type of GUI application (screen rendering processing unit 220, etc.) of the terminal 120 can be used for embedded devices 110 of different configurations. Therefore, in the embodiment, the GUI application 201 needs to be changed and retested only once, which reduces the number of development steps compared to the conventional technology.

[0121] In other words, since there is only one type of GUI application (such as the screen drawing processing unit 220) on the terminal 120 regardless of the type of embedded device 110, the GUI application 201 only needs to be changed and retested once, such as when upgrading the OS version, and the change and retest can be completed in one go.

[0122] 18 is a diagram showing an example of a GUI application update process in the screen display system according to the embodiment. When updating a GUI application, the changed GUI application 201B (screen rendering processing unit 220, etc.) on the terminal 120 side is uploaded from the external computer 1710, etc. to the application download server 1801. Then, the terminal 120 can download the GUI application 201B (screen rendering processing unit 220, etc.) from the application download server 1801 and install it on the terminal 120.

[0123] Next, Figures 19 to 21 are explanatory diagrams comparing the development man-hours for different types of embedded devices. Figure 19 shows the system configuration of different types of embedded devices according to the conventional technology, and Figure 20 shows the system configuration of different types of embedded devices according to the embodiment. Figure 21 shows a chart comparing the development man-hours between the conventional technology and the embodiment.

[0124] Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 19, three embedded devices 110 (110A to 110C) have, for example, embedded device 110A having one sensor A (111) and one LED A (112), embedded device 110B having two sensors B1 and B2 (111) and one LED B (112), and embedded device 110C having one sensor C (111) and two LEDs C1 and C2 (112), and these are of different types and perform different controls.

[0125] These multiple different types of embedded devices 110 (110A to 110C) are each individually connected for communication to an external computer 1710 such as a PC. Each external computer 1710 has three GUI applications 1521A to 1521C corresponding to the embedded devices 110A to 110C, respectively.

[0126] In the system configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 20, the three embedded devices 110 have three different GUI applications 201A to 201C, as in the prior art (FIG. 19), but the GUI application on the terminal 120 is a single common GUI application (such as the screen drawing processing unit 220).

[0127] The number of development man-hours for each system configuration of the conventional technology (FIG. 19) and the embodiment (FIG. 20) will be compared using Fig. 21. Comparing the conventional technology with the embodiment, the number of development man-hours required for the embedded devices 110A to 110C is the same for all three types.

[0128] Then, on the external computer 1710 side of the conventional technology, it is necessary to develop three different types of GUI applications 1721A to 1721C for each external computer 1710. Here, in the conventional technology, it is necessary to develop component placement and screen drawing processing for each of the GUI applications 1721A to 1721C.

[0129] In contrast to this, on the terminal 120 side of the embodiment, since the arrangement configurations of the sensors 111 and LEDs 112 differ for each of the three embedded devices 110, development man-hours are required for the component placement processes k1 to k3 corresponding to each of the three embedded devices 110, but the screen drawing process of the screen drawing processing unit 220 requires only a common development man-hour.

[0130] In this way, in the embodiment, the screen rendering process for the GUI application on the terminal 120 side can be made common to different types of embedded devices 110, and development can be completed in one go. Also, by separating the component placement process and the screen rendering process, it is possible to minimize the parts that are affected by different system configurations, and the number of development steps can be reduced compared to conventional techniques.

[0131] 21, when comparing the conventional technology with the embodiment, the difference (gap) in man-hours increases in proportion to the number of types of embedded devices 110. That is, according to the embodiment, the more types of embedded devices 110 there are, the greater the effect of reducing development man-hours compared to the conventional technology can be achieved.

[0132] According to the embodiment described above, in an initial state, the device shares initial display list information, including text and images related to GUI screen construction and the layout of each component, with the terminal. After the device starts operating, the device selects screen information, including text and images corresponding to a specific state, from the initial display list information and transmits it to the terminal. Based on the received screen information, the terminal references the shared initial display list information and performs screen display processing of the device's operating status. By sharing the initial display list information between the device and the terminal in this way, the terminal can display the device's status and reduce the amount of data required for the displayed screen information.

[0133] Furthermore, the device does not display a GUI screen, but displays the GUI screen only on the terminal. For example, the device is an embedded device with limited uses and no display unit. Furthermore, the device can perform corresponding control by operating the GUI screen of the terminal. This eliminates the need for the device to perform drawing processing, etc., to display the GUI screen, thereby reducing the processing load of the device and reducing the cost of the device. Devices that perform predetermined control can easily perform control operations by displaying the control content on a GUI screen, but in this embodiment, the device only generates the GUI screen and does not perform drawing processing. In addition, the device is configured not to have a display unit. This simplifies the hardware configuration of the device and reduces costs.

[0134] That is, in the embodiment, in a system configuration in which a device is connected to a terminal for communication, the GUI screen generation process is located on the device side, and the GUI screen drawing process is located on the terminal side, thereby efficiently separating and allocating GUI functions between the device and the terminal, thereby reducing the cost of the entire system. Note that the terminal can perform drawing processing using a general-purpose smart device, so there is no increase in cost.

[0135] Furthermore, when updating the GUI screen, the device generates the shape, text characters, coordinates, color, etc. of only the updated object and sends them to the terminal. This makes it possible to transfer data from the device to the terminal with a smaller amount of data, further reducing the amount of data required when updating the GUI screen.

[0136] Furthermore, the device assigns an identifier to each of the character strings and images included in the initial display list information and transmits the identifiers as screen information to the terminal, and the terminal references the shared initial display list information based on the identifier of the received screen information and performs screen display processing that corresponds to the state of the device. As a result, when updating the screen information due to a change in the state of the device, it is only necessary to transmit the identifier, further reducing the amount of data to be transferred.

[0137] In addition, one terminal can connect to devices of multiple different systems (types), and for example, the terminal can switch communications to display a GUI screen generated by one connected device and control the device. Also, by switching communications, the same terminal can display and control the GUI screens of different devices, which reduces the cost of the entire system including multiple devices.

[0138] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, among the GUI applications for GUI screen display, the configuration mainly related to screen construction is provided on the device side, and the configuration related to screen drawing is provided on the terminal side, so that the GUI application functions are divided and allocated. As a result, even if the number of types of devices increases to accommodate various systems, the terminal side can handle and perform drawing processing with a single-function GUI application.

[0139] As a result, even if a GUI application needs to be changed due to an OS upgrade or the like, according to the embodiment, the GUI application on the terminal side is the same type regardless of the type of device, so it is possible to suffice by changing and retesting only once.In contrast, with conventional technology, it is necessary to change and retest all of the GUI applications for each type of device, and the more types of devices there are, the more development man-hours are required, which increases the number of development man-hours.

[0140] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, a GUI screen generated by the device can be displayed on the terminal, allowing the user to operate the device while viewing the display screen of the terminal. In this case, the GUI screen transmitted from the device to the terminal is composed of the shape of each object, text characters, coordinates, color, etc., and has a smaller data volume than image data. This allows the GUI screen data to be transferred from the device to the terminal with a smaller data volume. Furthermore, because the data transfer volume is small, transfer can be completed in a short time even if the transfer speed between the device and the terminal is slow.

[0141] When a device and a terminal are connected for communication, the operation of the device can be controlled by operating the terminal. This allows a user to monitor the operating status of the device by looking at the display screen of the terminal, and also to control the operation of the device, even if they are located far away from the location where the device is installed.

[0142] Furthermore, since the amount of GUI screen data transferred from the device to the terminal can be reduced, the device can be controlled by operating the terminal from a remote location without the user having to go to the device's installation location. Furthermore, remote maintenance can be performed from a remote location using the terminal in the event of a device malfunction. Furthermore, since the device's GUI screen can be displayed on the terminal, costs can be reduced without having to set up a display screen for the device. Furthermore, by connecting a terminal to multiple devices, multiple devices can be monitored from a single terminal.

[0143] The screen display program described in this embodiment can be realized by executing a prepared program on a computer such as a personal computer, a workstation, a PC (including a tablet or smartphone), etc. Also, this screen display method is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a hard disk, a flexible disk, a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory), or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), and is executed by being read from the recording medium by a computer. [Industrial Applicability]

[0144] As described above, the present invention is useful when applied to a technique for transferring a display screen generated by a device that performs predetermined control to a terminal. [Explanation of symbols]

[0145] 100-screen display system 110 Equipment (Embedded Equipment) 111 Sensor 112 LED 120 terminals 121 Display section 201 GUI Applications 211 Screen construction processing unit 220 Screen drawing processing unit 221 Operation section 301,311 CPU 302,312 ROM 303,313 RAM 304,314 storage section 305,315 Communication Interface 308,318 buses 310 Network 316 Touch Panel 317 Display 500 List of text and images (initial display list information K0) 510 String List 520 Image List K GUI Screen Information k Parts Configuration Information S Operational Information

Claims

1. In a screen display system that transfers screen information from a device to a terminal, The device comprises: The device is composed of one or more devices, and does not have a display unit for the screen information within itself, a control unit that generates screen information indicating the control status of the own device; a communication unit that transmits screen information generated by the control unit to the terminal; The terminal a processing unit that generates a display screen based on the screen information received from one of the devices; a display unit that displays the display screen generated by the processing unit, The control unit of the device In an initial state, initial display list information including character strings and images relating to screen construction of a GUI (Graphical User Interface) and the arrangement of each component is shared between the terminals; After one of the devices is activated, screen information including the character string and the image corresponding to a predetermined state is selected from the initial display list information and transmitted to the terminal; The processing unit of the terminal A screen display system characterized by referring to the shared initial display list information based on the received screen information, performing screen display processing corresponding to the operating status of each device, and displaying it on the display unit.

2. the device assigns an identifier to each of the character strings and images included in the initial display list information, and transmits the identifier to the terminal as the screen information; The screen display system according to claim 1, characterized in that the terminal refers to the shared initial display list information based on the identifier of the received screen information and performs screen display processing corresponding to the state of the device.

3. 2. The screen display system according to claim 1, wherein the device transmits information on the shape, character string, display coordinates, and color of each of the component parts to the terminal as the initial display list information.

4. The screen display system according to claim 1, characterized in that the device updates the screen information in response to the change in state, generates only information regarding the shape, text, display coordinates, and color of the component parts to be updated as the screen information, and transmits it to the terminal.

5. the terminal has an operation unit, and transmits operation information by the operation unit to the device; The screen display system according to claim 1, characterized in that the device performs control based on the operation information received from the terminal, updates the screen information based on the control, and transmits the updated screen information to the terminal.

6. The screen display system according to claim 5, characterized in that the terminal is communicatively connected to a plurality of the devices, displays display information of the communicatively connected devices on the display unit, and controls the devices by operating the operation unit.

7. 2. The screen display system according to claim 1, wherein the device is an embedded device that performs predetermined control with limited uses.

8. In a screen display method for transferring screen information from a device to a terminal, The device comprises: The display device may be one or more devices, may not have a display unit for the screen information within itself, and may generate screen information indicating the control status of the device itself; Transmitting the generated screen information to the terminal; The terminal displaying a display screen based on the screen information received from one of the devices on a display unit within the terminal; The device comprises: In an initial state, initial display list information including character strings and images relating to screen construction of a GUI (Graphical User Interface) and the arrangement of each component is shared between the terminals; After one of the devices is activated, screen information including the character string and the image corresponding to a predetermined state is selected from the initial display list information and transmitted to the terminal; The terminal A screen display method characterized by referring to the shared initial display list information based on the received screen information, performing screen display processing corresponding to the operating status of each device, and displaying it on the display unit.

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