Patent ID: 7269640

Claim:
An e-mail-enabled automation control module (ACM) system comprising: an ACM; and an e-mail system electrically connected to said ACM that isconfigured to automatically control at least one device without user intervention and that is coupled to a backplane, said e-mail system configured to perform at least one of sending e-mail messages from said ACM through a network, and receiving e-mail messages from the network, said e-mail system comprises at least one mailbox configured to store at least one e-mail message, said e-mail system further configured to allow at least one of a user that is connected to said e-mail system through the network and the at least one device to perform at least one of read, modify, and delete the e-mail messages stored in said at least one mailbox, wherein the e-mail messages include at least one of ACM data and ACM notifications from at least one of another ACM and another device.