Virtual gateway for a connected device

A virtual gateway software application executed on a hardware device for displaying television content from the internet and configured to control functions of a plurality of connected devices that are local to a particular building environment, the virtual gateway software application comprising:

• a graphical user interface, and wherein the virtual gateway application is further configured to:
• receive immediate command instructions for one or more of the plurality of connected devices from each of:
• a user, via the graphical user interface on the hardware device for displaying television content from the internet;
• and
• a remote server on the Internet via a WAN or satellite connection;
• relay the immediate command instructions once they are received by the hardware device for displaying television content to one or more of the plurality of connected devices via the wireless LAN or the short-range communication protocol while the television is within the particular building environment;
• store delayed command instructions for one or more of the plurality of connected devices from each of:
• the user, via the graphical user interface on the hardware device for displaying television content from the internet;
• and
• the remote server on the internet via the WAN or satellite connection;
• relay one or more of the delayed command instructions from the hardware device for displaying television content to one or more of the plurality of connected devices via the wireless LAN or the short-range communication protocol at a predetermined time specified by the one or more delayed command instructions while the hardware device for displaying television content from the internet is within the particular building environment;
• and
• allow a user to program a related set of delayed command instructions to be relayed to two or more of the plurality of connected devices at the same time.

A virtual gateway software application executed on a tablet computer and configured to control functions of a plurality of connected devices that are local to a particular building environment, the virtual gateway software application comprising:

• a graphical user interface, and wherein the virtual gateway application is further configured to:
• receive immediate command instructions for one or more of the plurality of connected devices from each of:
• a user, via the graphical user interface on the tablet computer;
• and
• a remote server on the Internet via a WAN;
• relay the immediate command instructions once they are received by the tablet computer to one or more of the plurality of connected devices via the wireless LAN or the short-range communication protocol while the tablet computer is within the particular building environment;
• store delayed command instructions for one or more of the plurality of connected devices from each of:
• the user, via the graphical user interface on the tablet computer and;
• the remote server on the internet via the WAN;
• and
• relay one or more of the delayed command instructions from the tablet computer to one or more of the plurality of connected devices via the wireless LAN or the short-range communication protocol at a predetermined time specified by the one or more delayed command instructions while the tablet computer is within the particular building environment;
• and
• allow a user to program a related set of delayed command instructions to be relayed to two or more of the plurality of connected devices at the same time.