Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Griffith W Kadnier

Andrew Baird

A system for including a set of software components and an application programming interface for the logical networked representation and implementation of a system of smart devices within a home or small office environment. The software components include a control object component and a user interface component. The control object is a software object capable that carries out communication, accepts and issues control messages. The control object allows a user to remotely control or query a physical device for which the specific control object has responsibility and for maintaining logical and physical connections and control of the device. The user interface supplies a coherent and transparent interface across all network media and topologies. The user interface is capable of communicating with any control object that it identifies as being controllable in a given system. The communication may be across a logical network or may be local to a particular device. The user interface takes on the 'personality' of the physical device for which the attendant control object carries a logical and physical mapping and control responsibility.

Control object and user interface for controlling networked devices

A system for including a set of software components and an application programming interface for the logical networked representation and implementation of a system of smart devices within a home or small office environment. The software components include a control object component and a user interface component. The control object is a software object capable that carries out communication, accepts and issues control messages. The control object allows a user to remotely control or query a physical device for which the specific control object has responsibility and for maintaining logical and physical connections and control of the device. The user interface supplies a coherent and transparent interface across all network media and topologies. The user interface is capable of communicating with any control object that it identifies as being controllable in a given system. The communication may be across a logical network or may be local to a particular device. The user interface takes on the &ldquo;personality&rdquo; of the physical device for which the attendant control object carries a logical and physical mapping and control responsibility.

A system for the detection of user-selected remote control commands from virtually any appliance remote control includes a hardware processor with self-clocking circuit to detect and sample an incoming data stream. The data are error-corrected and compressed to eliminate errors caused by ambient noise. The error-corrected data can be used to remotely control an appliance or computer. In a learn mode, the user enters a user-selected remote control button sequence which is detected, error-corrected, compressed, and stored. The user then designates a computer command to be associated with the user-selected remote control button sequence. A command storage area, such as a conventional database, stores the user-designated command in association with the user-selected remote control button sequence. In an execute mode, the system detects the user-entered remote control button sequence and performs the user-designated action.

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Edmonds, WA, United States of America

Griffith W Kadnier