Patent ID: 7975051

Claim:
A system for controlling an environment, comprising: a server comprising a database and an application service adapted to communicate via a first interface and a second interface; a control client adapted to communicate with said server via said first interface, receive a user interface from said server, display said user interface to the user, and receive commands from the user via said user interface for transmission via said first interface to said server; a control switch comprising a third interface and a fourth interface, adapted to communicate via said third interface with said server via said second interface of said server and said fourth interface of said control switch adapted to selectively interconnect inputs of said fourth interface to outputs from said fourth interface; a source device comprising a source command port and adapted to output a signal via an output port, wherein said output port is in communication with said fourth interface of said control switch via a first link adapted to connect said source device output port to one of the selectively interconnect inputs and said source command port is in communication with said server via said second interface; an output device comprising an output command port and adapted to accept said signal via an input port, wherein said input port is in communication with said fourth interface of said control switch via a second link adapted to connect one of the selectively interconnect outputs to said output device input port and said output command port is in communication with said server via said second interface; an environment device adapted to communicate with said server and receive commands from said server via said second interface; a means for representing in said database a set of static connections and a set of nodes adaptable to allow communication between said output port and said fourth interface, and said fourth interface and said input port; a configuration means for said server to issue commands to and configure said source device, said output device, and said control switch via said second interface such that said signal flows from said source device through said control switch to said output device; a first network communicating with said first interface, said second interface, and said third interface; a second network communicating with said fourth interface; and said application service further comprising an event generator and an event handler, wherein said event handler comprises a means for responding to said event generator, a means for responding to a device event generator that handles communications received from said source device via said second interface, and a means for triggering said configuration means.