Patent ID: 9693006
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: G08C,H04B,H04L,H04N

Claim:
1. A universal control engine, comprising: a processing device; a plurality of communication interfaces coupled to the processing device wherein each of the plurality of communication interfaces corresponds to a communication method; and a memory in which is stored a listing comprised of a plurality of functional operations of an intended target appliance, wherein each of the plurality of functional operations of the intended target appliance is associated within the listing with a plurality of communication methods, and in which is stored instructions which, when executed by the processing device, cause the universal control engine to respond to a request received from a controlling device to cause the intended target appliance to perform a one of the plurality of functional operations by identifying the plurality of communication methods that have been associated in the listing with the one of the plurality of functional operations of the intended target appliance, identifying a highest prioritized one of the identified plurality of communication methods, and transmitting to the intended target appliance a command appropriate for controlling the one of the plurality of functional operations of the intended target appliance via use of the identified highest prioritized one of the identified plurality of communication methods and a corresponding one of the plurality of communication interfaces.