Patent ID: 8027752

Claim:
A network comprising: a smart coupler having a processor, a memory, a power source to energize the processor and the memory, and a software component in one of the memory and processor, wherein the software component has a routing table and a protocol converter; at least one appliance configured to perform a cycle of operation on a physical article, wherein the at least one appliance consumes at least some of a resource in performing the cycle of operation, the at least one appliance in network communication with the smart coupler using a first protocol, a supplier of the resource in network communication with the smart coupler, and a source of information about the resource in network communication with the smart coupler using a second protocol, wherein the smart coupler is configured to convert network messages between the first and second protocols, propagate discovery queries over the network from the source of information, populate the routing table from responses to discovery queries from the source of information, and facilitate communication with the at least one appliance and the source of information including a request to change the cycle of operation of the appliance based on the information.