Patent ID: 6539423
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A system for retrieving information from an external information source via a network and integrating external information with a physical device, the system comprising:a. a central processor for controlling processing operations, transmitting a unique global identification number, wherein the unique global identification number provides a set of properties describing at least one physical attribute of the device, and receiving formatted content information from the external information source via the computer network, the external information source identified and the information formatted based on a content delivery service subscribed to by the system and the set of properties describing the at least one physical attribute of the device; b. a memory for storing the formatted information; and c. a software component for processing the formatted information stored in the memory to identify the occurrence of an event, and alerting a user to the occurrence of an event by changing a state of the at least one physical attribute of the physical device.