Patent ID: 6823519
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
In a network comprising a plurality of software controllable devices that communicate over said network, said software controllable devices including an embedded operating system, a distributed system for controlling said software controllable devices, comprising:at least one control object, said control object comprising a component object model object residing in said embedded operating system and accessible to a respective software controllable device and including logical attributes of said respective software controllable device, said control object accepting and issuing control messages to and from said respective software controllable device, and said control object being polymorphic such that said control object is adapted to take on the logical attributes and command and control capabilities of any of said software controllable devices; and a user interface adapted to receive said control object, retrieve said logical attributes, and accept and issue control messages to and from said control object, said user interface residing in at least one of said software controllable devices, wherein said control object is appointed to be a manager object if said control object is a first registered control object in said distributed system, and wherein said control object registers with said system when active and maintains a list of all other registered control objects in said distributed system, and wherein if a manager object drops out of said distributed system, a subsequently registered objects is appointed to be said manager object, and wherein all of the control objects are capable of being said manager object.