A method in an electronic device to control an object, the method comprising: identifying a plurality of objects including a first object and a second object, wherein identifying comprises one or more of: capturing, by an image sensor, live images of the plurality of objects and identifying the plurality of objects by image analysis of the captured images; and locating the plurality of objects within a predetermined distance from the electronic device via short-range communication between the electronic device and each of the plurality of objects and identifying the located plurality of objects by receiving identification information over the short-range communication; wherein the method further comprises: displaying images corresponding to the plurality of identified objects on a display; receiving user input via a user interface to select the first object and the second object, the user input selecting a displayed image corresponding to the first object and selecting a displayed image corresponding to the second object, from among the displayed images of the plurality of objects; identifying, by a processor of the electronic device, a first attribute of the first object and a second attribute of the second object, wherein the first and second attributes indicate one or more of: current state information of the first and second objects, information on functions supported by the first and second objects, or identification information for the first and second objects; selecting, by the processor, a target object from among the plurality of objects and the electronic device to control based on both the first attribute and the second attribute by comparing the first attribute and second attribute to attributes in a stored inter-object associated attribute table, identifying an operation signal corresponding to both the first and second attributes according to a combination of the first and second attributes from the stored inter-object associated attribute table, and identifying the target object based on the identified operation signal, the operation signal configured to be transmitted over a communication connection between the electronic device and the target device; generating, by the processor, the operation signal for the identified target object, the operation signal configured to instruct an operation of the target object according to the inter-object associated attribute table; and controlling, by the processor, an operation of the target object by transmitting the generated operation signal over a communication connection between the electronic device and the target device. capturing, by an image sensor, live images of the plurality of objects and identifying the plurality of objects by image analysis of the captured images; and locating the plurality of objects within a predetermined distance from the electronic device via short-range communication between the electronic device and each of the plurality of objects and identifying the located plurality of objects by receiving identification information over the short-range communication; displaying images corresponding to the plurality of identified objects on a display; receiving user input via a user interface to select the first object and the second object, the user input selecting a displayed image corresponding to the first object and selecting a displayed image corresponding to the second object, from among the displayed images of the plurality of objects; identifying, by a processor of the electronic device, a first attribute of the first object and a second attribute of the second object, wherein the first and second attributes indicate one or more of: current state information of the first and second objects, information on functions supported by the first and second objects, or identification information for the first and second objects; selecting, by the processor, a target object from among the plurality of objects and the electronic device to control based on both the first attribute and the second attribute by comparing the first attribute and second attribute to attributes in a stored inter-object associated attribute table, identifying an operation signal corresponding to both the first and second attributes according to a combination of the first and second attributes from the stored inter-object associated attribute table, and identifying the target object based on the identified operation signal, the operation signal configured to be transmitted over a communication connection between the electronic device and the target device; generating, by the processor, the operation signal for the identified target object, the operation signal configured to instruct an operation of the target object according to the inter-object associated attribute table; and controlling, by the processor, an operation of the target object by transmitting the generated operation signal over a communication connection between the electronic device and the target device.