Patent ID: 9449500
Filing Date: 2016-09-20
CPC Classification: G08C,H04N

Claim Text:
1. A method for controlling a functional operation of an intended target appliance, comprising: in response to a detected presence of the intended target appliance within a logical topography of controllable appliances using identity information associated with the intended target appliance to automatically add to a graphical user interface of a controlling device an icon representative of the intended target appliance and to create at a Universal Control Engine a listing of communication methods for use in controlling each one of plural functional operations of the intended target appliance; and in response to a sensed activation of the icon representative of the intended target appliance as added to the graphical user interface of the controlling device causing the controlling device to be placed into an operating state appropriate for controlling functional operations of the intended target appliance while causing the Universal Control Engine to use at least one of a plurality of communication methods in the listing of communication methods that has been associated with at least one of the plural functional operations of the intended target appliance to transmit to the intended target appliance at least one command to control the at least one of the plural functional operations of the intended target appliance wherein performance of the at least one of the plural functional operations by the intended target appliance functions to place the intended target appliance into an operating state that was pre-associated with the icon representative of the intended target appliance.