Control system and user interface for network of input devices

A method of controlling a network system comprising a mix of 1394 and IR controlled audio-video and other input devices, comprising the steps of

• receiving user input commands at a central control unit of a network system, the control unit comprises a IR detector coupled to a translation module and a gate, the translation module and gate being coupled to one another and a IR transmitter, wherein the network system comprises a mix of 1394 and IR controlled (IRC) input devices,
• translating the user input commands to device appropriate output messages to drive the IRC input devices,
• transmitting device appropriate output messages to the IRC devices, and
• maintaining the gate at a closed state until the transmitting step is complete.

A method of controlling a network of devices, comprising the steps of

• receiving uniform user input commands at a central control unit of a network system, the control unit comprises a IR detector coupled to a translation module and a gate, the translation module and gate being coupled to one another and a IR transmitter, wherein the network system comprises a mix of IR controlled (IRC) and non-IRC input devices,
• determining current system state of the network system,
• based on stored device and device interconnectivity data, translating the user input commands to device appropriate output messages to drive the input devices, and
• transmitting device appropriate output messages to the IRC devices, and
• maintaining the gate at a closed state until the step of transmitting output messages to the IRC devices is complete.