Communication method and communication apparatus

A communication apparatus for operating an electrical appliance, the communication apparatus comprising:

• a communication unit configured to communicate with the electrical appliance, to communicate with a server via the Internet, to request the electrical appliance to transmit appliance identification information, and to receive the appliance identification information from the electrical appliance;
• an operation unit configured to receive an input from a user for causing the electrical appliance to perform a predetermined operation at a predetermined time;
• an acquiring unit configured to acquire, from the server via the communication unit, a command for causing the electrical appliance to perform the predetermined operation at the predetermined time, according to the input received by the operation unit;
• a storage unit configured to store the command acquired by the acquiring unit and a plurality of association information items, one association information item among the plurality of the association information items being associated with the command, the command including the predetermined operation to be performed by the electrical appliance and time information related to a start time for starting performing of the predetermined operation;
• a display unit configured to display at least one of the plurality of the association information items stored in the storage unit;
• a receiving unit configured to receive a selection of an association information item among the plurality of the association information items displayed on the display unit;
• and
• a determining unit configured to determine whether the electrical appliance that has transmitted the appliance identification information is an electrical appliance to be operated, based on the appliance identification information received by the communication unit and configured to determine that (i) when a current time is not past the start time acquired from the time information, the electrical appliance is capable of performing the predetermined operation according to the command associated with the one association information item, the selection of which is received in the receiving unit, and that (ii) when the current time is past the start time, the electrical appliance is incapable of performing the predetermined operation according to the command associated with the one association information item, the selection of which is received in the receiving unit,
• wherein the communication unit is configured to transmit the command to the electrical appliance, when the determining unit determines that the electrical appliance is confirmed to be the electrical appliance to be operated and determines that the electrical appliance is capable of performing the predetermined operation according to the command, to cause the electrical appliance to perform the predetermined operation at the predetermined time.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded, the program causing a computer to execute a communication method for operating an electrical appliance, the method comprising:

• performing communication with a server via the Internet;
• receiving an input for causing the electrical appliance to perform a predetermined operation at a predetermined time, from a user;
• acquiring a command from the server in the communication performed in the performing of the communication, the command being for causing the electrical appliance to perform the predetermined operation at the predetermined time, according to the input received in the receiving of the input;
• storing, in a storage unit, the command acquired in the acquiring and a plurality of association information items, one association information item among the plurality of the association information items being associated with the command, the command including the predetermined operation to be performed by the electrical appliance and time information related to a start time for starting performing of the predetermined operation;
• displaying on a display unit the plurality of the association information items stored in the storing;
• receiving a selection of an association information item among the plurality of the association information items displayed in the displaying;
• requesting the electrical appliance to transmit appliance identification information;
• receiving, from the electrical appliance, the appliance identification information requested in the requesting;
• confirming whether the electrical appliance that has transmitted the appliance identification information is an electrical appliance to be operated, based on the appliance identification information received in the receiving of the appliance identification information;
• determining that (i) when a current time is not past the start time acquired from the time information, the electrical appliance is capable of performing the predetermined operation according to the command associated with the one association information item, the selection of which is received in the receiving of the selection, and that (ii) when the current time is past the start time, the electrical appliance is incapable of performing the predetermined operation according to the command associated with the one association information item, the selection of which is received in the receiving of the selection;
• and
• when the electrical appliance is determined, in the determining, to be capable of performing the predetermined operation according to the command associated with the one association information item, the selection of which is received in the receiving of the selection, and when the electrical appliance is confirmed, in the confirming, to be the electrical appliance to be operated, transmitting the command acquired in the acquiring to the electrical appliance to cause the electrical appliance to perform the predetermined operation at the predetermined time.