Patent ID: 7370074
Filing Date: 2008-05-06
Classification: G05B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. In a computer system having a display and at least one user interface selection device, a method for controlling devices, the method comprising: obtaining a user selection of one or more of a plurality of networked devices to be manipulated from the user interface, wherein at least one of the plurality of networked devices requires device-specific protocol instructions that are different from protocol instructions required by at least one of the other plurality of networked devices; obtaining a user interface application corresponding to the selected one or more networked devices, wherein the user interface application includes one or more graphical user interface and wherein a Java applet is provided that corresponds to each of the networked devices; displaying the user interface application corresponding to the selected one or more networked devices; obtaining a user selection of an operation corresponding to at least one selected networked device; encoding the selected operation according to a standard communication protocol instruction capable of being translated into a device-specific protocol instruction for controlling basic device activity that is common to at least one of the plurality of networked devices rather than a manufacturer-specific protocol instruction; transmitting the selected standard protocol instruction to a server corresponding to the selected networked device; and obtaining an output corresponding to the selected operation of the selected networked device.