# US 2019/0317646 A1 · Connection control device and connection control method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0317646 A1 - Document ID: US20190317646A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/452,798 - Filed: 2019-06-26 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2014-04-02 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: MITSUO OKUMURA; HIROFUMI HIBI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190317646A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/0486: Drag-and-drop - H04N 5/222: Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment (cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00) - H04N 5/268: Signal distribution or switching - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract User's connection operation is facilitated using a user interface screen. A user interface screen is displayed on which a combination of an arbitrary source apparatus and a destination apparatus is designated from a predetermined number of source apparatuses and destination apparatuses, to operate a connection. Based on operation on the user interface screen, the connection between the source apparatus and the destination apparatus is controlled. On the user interface screen, a button is disposed in which a combination of a source apparatus and a destination apparatus is registered. When the button is operated, control is executed such that the source apparatus and the destination apparatus of the registered combination are connected. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus, comprising: a display control circuitry configured to display a user interface that configures a connection between a plurality of source devices and a plurality of destination devices, wherein each of the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices is connected to a network, and the user interface includes: a routing screen configured to display a connection of a pair of one of the plurality of source devices and one of the plurality of destination devices, and a control screen configured to display a first button to which the pair is registered; and a connection control circuitry configured to control the connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices based on an operation of the first button of the user interface, wherein the connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices is controlled to connect the one of the plurality of source devices and the one of the plurality of destination devices of the pair registered to the first button. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the routing screen comprises: a plurality of source icons in a first direction of a matrix, wherein the plurality of source icons correspond to the plurality of source devices, a plurality of destination icons in a second direction of the matrix, wherein the plurality of destination icons correspond to the plurality of destination devices, and a plurality of cross-point buttons, wherein each of the plurality of cross-point buttons indicates a combination of the one of the plurality of source devices and the one of the plurality of destination devices. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the network is an Ethernet network, the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices are connected to a network switcher, and the connection control circuitry is further configured to control the network switcher to connect the one of the plurality of source devices and the one of the plurality of destination devices of the pair registered to the first button. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface is displayed on a touch panel device, and the operation of the first button is accepted on the touch panel device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the operation is a drag and drop operation from the routing screen to the control screen on the touch panel device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface is displayed on a touch panel screen of a tablet device, and the tablet device is connected wirelessly to the information processing apparatus. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control screen includes a plurality of buttons including the first button, and the plurality of the buttons indicate different pairs of the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control circuitry is further configured to update the routing screen to reflect the connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices based on the operation of the first button in the control screen. ### Claim 9 An information processing method, comprising: displaying a user interface that configures a connection between a plurality of source devices and a plurality of destination devices, wherein each of the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices is connected to a network, and the user interface includes: a routing screen configured to display a connection of a pair of one of the plurality of source devices and one of the plurality of destination devices, and a control screen configured to display a first button to which the pair is registered; and controlling the connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices based on an operation of the first button of the user interface, wherein the connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices is controlled to connect the one of the plurality of source devices and the one of the plurality of destination devices of the pair registered to the first button. ### Claim 10 An information processing system, comprising: a plurality of source devices; a plurality of destination devices, wherein each of the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices is connected to a network; and an information processing apparatus that includes: a display control circuitry configured to display a user interface that configures a connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices, wherein the user interface includes: a routing screen configured to display a connection of a pair of one of the plurality of source devices and one of the plurality of destination devices, and a control screen configured to display a first button to which the pair is registered; and a connection control circuitry configured to control the connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices based on an operation of the first button of the user interface, wherein the connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices is controlled to connect the one of the plurality of source devices and the one of the plurality of destination devices of the pair registered to the first button. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The information processing system according to claim 10, further comprising: a network switcher, wherein the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices are connected to the network switcher, and the connection control circuitry is further configured to control the network switcher to connect the one of the plurality of source devices and the one of the plurality of destination devices of the pair registered to the first button. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The information processing system according to claim 10, further comprising: a tablet device that includes a touch panel screen, and the user interface is displayed on the touch panel screen of the tablet device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The information processing system according to claim 12, wherein the tablet device is connected wirelessly to the information processing apparatus. ### Claim 14 A medical video processing system, comprising: a plurality of source devices; a plurality of destination devices, wherein each of the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices is connected to a network; and an information processing apparatus that includes: a display control circuitry configured to display a user interface that configures a connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices, wherein the user interface includes: a routing screen configured to display a connection of a pair of one of the plurality of source devices and one of the plurality of destination devices, and a control screen configured to display a first button to which the pair is registered; and a connection control circuitry configured to control the connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices based on an operation of the first button of the user interface, wherein the connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices is controlled to connect the one of the plurality of source devices and the one of the plurality of destination devices of the pair registered to the first button. ### Claim 15 An educational video processing system, comprising: a plurality of source devices; a plurality of destination devices, wherein each of the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices is connected to a network; and an information processing apparatus that includes: a display control circuitry configured to display a user interface that configures a connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices, wherein the user interface includes: a routing screen configured to display a connection of a pair of one of the plurality of source devices and one of the plurality of destination devices, and a control screen configured to display a first button to which the pair is registered; and a connection control circuitry configured to control the connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices based on an operation of the first button of the user interface, wherein the connection between the plurality of source devices and the plurality of destination devices is controlled to connect the one of the plurality of source devices and the one of the plurality of destination devices of the pair registered to the first button.