Device control apparatus and device control method

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a device control apparatus includes an acquisition module and a display controller. The acquisition module is configured to obtain information about an external input terminal of a device connected to a network from the device. The display controller is configured to display the information obtained by the acquisition module in such a manner that the information corresponds to the external input terminal.

1 . A device control apparatus comprising:
 an acquisition module configured to obtain information about an external input terminal of a device connected to a network from the device; and   a display controller configured to display information obtained by the acquisition module in such a manner that the information corresponds to the external input terminal.   
     
     
         2 . The device control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the acquisition module is configured to use a command defined on a communication protocol used in the network to obtain the information about the external input terminal from the device connected to the network. 
     
     
         3 . The device control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the acquisition module is configured to obtain at least any one of information indicating a terminal name of the external input terminal, information indicating a device connected to the external input terminal, and information indicating whether the external input terminal is selected or not, from the device connected to the network. 
     
     
         4 . The device control apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a game time controller configured to measure a time for which the device connected to the network selects an external input terminal connected to a game device, based on the information obtained by the acquisition module, and display a message prompting the device connected to the network to stop a game when the measured time attains a predetermined time set in advance.   
     
     
         5 . The device control apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the game time controller is configured to be able to change a length of the predetermined time for each user. 
     
     
         6 . The device control apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a game time controller configured to measure a time for which the device connected to the network selects an external input terminal connected to a game device, based on the information obtained by the acquisition module, and display a message prompting the device connected to the network to select an external input terminal other than the external input terminal connected to the game device when the measured time attains a predetermined time set in advance.   
     
     
         7 . The device control apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the game time controller is configured to prohibit the device connected to the network from selecting the external input terminal connected to the game device. 
     
     
         8 . A device control method comprising:
 displaying information about an external input terminal of a device connected to a network from the device in such a manner that the obtained information corresponds to the external input terminal.