Patent ID: 7690017

Claim:
A method of controlling a network system comprising a primary video display and audio output device (PDD) and a plurality of input audio-video devices, wherein the plurality of input audio-video devices include one or more analog audio-video devices and one or more digital audio-video devices, comprising the steps of generating a non-device specific graphical user interface (GUI) from a central control unit (CCU) of a network system and displaying the GUI on the PDD, wherein the GUI includes an input device selection menu and a device transport menu, and wherein the input device selection menu includes an icon corresponding to each of the one or more analog audio-video devices and the one or more digital audio-video devices, receiving CCU specific user input commands corresponding to selection and operation of a plurality of input audio-video devices and network system functions at the CCU, wherein the network system includes a plurality of input audio-video devices comprising one or more analog audio-video devices and one or more digital audio-video devices, translating within the CCU the CCU specific user input commands received by the CCU to device specific output messages to operate the plurality of input audio-video devices, transmitting the output messages from the CCU to the plurality of input audio-video devices, wherein the output messages are transmitted to the one or more analog audio-video devices by directing an IR signal incorporating the output message from the CCU to the analog audio-video device, wherein the output messages are transmitted to the one or more digital audio-video devices over a bidirectional bus, and wherein the one or more analog audio-video devices being incapable of receiving or sending messages over a bidirectional bus, and directing an audio and/or video signal from a first source device of the plurality of input audio-video devices to a sink device of the plurality of input audio-video devices via device specific output messages transmitted from the CCU to the plurality of input audio-video devices while directing a signal from a second source device of the plurality of input audio-video devices to the PDD, wherein the first and second source devices and the sink device include one or more analog audio-video devices selected from the plurality of input audio-video devices of the network system.