Patent ID: 8090452

Claim:
A field device for use in a residential environmental control system, comprising: a network interface that forms part of the field device and that provides at least a physical layer connection to an internet protocol (“IP”) network; a sensing apparatus that forms part of the field device and that measures a characteristic of a device, process or system in the residential environmental control system; memory that forms part of the field device and that stores at least web server software; and processing circuitry that forms part of the field device and that is communicatively coupled to the network interface, the processing circuitry executing the web server software to allow remote monitoring of measurements of the characteristic made with the sensing apparatus by serving web pages over the IP network in response to requests received from the IP network; wherein the web server software is adapted to permit monitoring and configuration of other field devices via the network interface; and wherein the processing circuitry is operable to control access to said measurements based on any of a user location and a type of the field device.