Electrical power saving system

Abstract

An electrical power saving system including a video display apparatus and at least two video and audio signal transmission apparatuses connected to each other via a communication network. Each of the video and audio signal transmission apparatuses includes a transmission and reception unit that transmits and receives a control command via the communication network and an operation state switching unit that switches an operation state according to the control command. The operation state switching unit is configured to switch a current operation state to an operation state of lower electricity consumption, when the transmission and reception unit receives a control command indicating that another video and audio signal transmission apparatus is transmitting a video and audio signal to the video display apparatus.

1 . An electrical power saving system comprising a video display apparatus and at least two video and audio signal transmission apparatuses that are connected to each other via a communication network, each of said video and audio signal transmission apparatuses being configured to transmit a video and audio signal to said video display apparatus, each of said video and audio signal transmission apparatuses including:
 a transmission and reception unit configured to transmit and receive a control command to and from other apparatuses via the communication network; and   an operation state switching unit configured to switch between operation states that differ in electricity consumption, according to the control command,   wherein said operation state switching unit is configured to switch a current operation state to an operation state of lower electricity consumption, when said transmission and reception unit receives a control command indicating that another one of said video and audio signal transmission apparatuses is transmitting a video and audio signal to said video display apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The electrical power saving system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of said video and audio signal transmission apparatuses further includes a timer unit configured to count an elapse of a predetermined time, and   wherein said operation state switching unit is configured to switch the current operation state to the operation state of lower electricity consumption, when said timer unit counts the elapse of the predetermined time in the current operation state.   
     
     
         3 . The electrical power saving system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of said video and audio signal transmission apparatuses further includes:   a holding unit configured to hold a state table showing combinations of operation states of each of said video and audio signal transmission apparatuses and said another one of said video and audio signal transmission apparatuses;   a display unit configured to display the state table to a user; and   an input unit configured to allow the user to select a desired combination from the state table displayed by said display unit, and   wherein said transmission and reception unit is configured to transmit a control command to switch the current operation state according to a selected desired combination of operation states.   
     
     
         4 . An electrical power saving method of a video display apparatus and at least two video and audio signal transmission apparatuses connected to each other via a communication network, each of the video and audio signal transmission apparatuses including: a transmission and reception unit that transmits and receives a control command to and from other apparatuses via the communication network; and an operation state switching unit that switches between operation states that differ in electricity consumption, according to the control command, said electrical power saving method comprising:
 receiving, by the transmission and reception unit of one of the video and audio signal transmission apparatuses, a control command indicating that another one of the video and audio signal transmission apparatuses is transmitting a video and audio signal to the video display apparatus; and   switching, by the operation state switching unit, a current operation state to an operation state of lower electricity consumption.   
     
     
         5 . An electrical power saving system comprising at least a first apparatus, a second apparatus, and a third apparatus that are connected to each other via a communication network, each of said second apparatus and said third apparatus being configured to transmit a video and audio signal to said first apparatus, each of said second apparatus and said third apparatus including:
 a transmission and reception unit configured to transmit and receive a control command to and from other apparatuses via the communication network; and   an operation state switching unit configured to switch between operation states that differ in electricity consumption, according to the control command,   wherein, in said second apparatus, said operation state switching unit is configured to switch a current operation state to an operation state of lower electricity consumption, when said transmission and reception unit receives a control command indicating that said third apparatus is transmitting a video and audio signal to said first apparatus.   
     
     
         6 . A video and audio signal transmission apparatus for communicating with a video display apparatus and another video and audio signal transmission apparatus via a communication network, said video and audio signal transmission apparatus comprising:
 a transmission and reception unit configured to transmit and receive a control command to and from other apparatuses via the communication network; and   an operation state switching unit configured to switch between operation states that differ in electricity consumption, according to the control command,   wherein said operation state switching unit is configured to switch a current operation state to an operation state of lower electricity consumption, when said transmission and reception unit receives a control command indicating that another video and audio signal transmission apparatus is transmitting a video and audio signal to the video display apparatus.