Patent ID: 7113074

Claim:
A method of automatically controlling a networked environment comprising: a setup step comprising: capturing a face image of an individual, storing the face image, associating at least one appliance setup to the face image, and an initiating step comprising: comparing the face image to stored face images, retrieving the at least one appliance setup for a matched face image, and initiating the at least one appliance setup, wherein the initiating step further comprises: associating the matched face image with a hierarchy of control over the at least one appliance setup, determining if a second individual previously initiated the at least one appliance setup, determining the hierarchy of control over the at least one appliance setup associated with the second individual, and initiating the at least one appliance setup associated with the matched face image only if either no second individual previously initiated the at least one appliance setup, if the matched face image ranks higher within the hierarchy of control, or based on a default or average setting if the matched face image and the second individual have the same rank.