Networked Device Control Architecture

A networked device control system comprising:

• a plurality of networked device controllers operative to implement a protocol of automatic device discovery and control;
• at least one protocol-compliant device connected to any of said controllers and configured for use with said protocol prior to being connected to said controller;
• at least one non-protocol-compliant device connected to any of said controllers and not configured for use with said protocol prior to being connected to said controller;
• and
• a management unit operative to
• generate any of an interface and a control element associated with any of said devices,
• establish a proxy configured for use with said protocol and operative to control said non-protocol-compliant device, and
• configure any of said controllers with said interface and control element generated for said device connected to said controller.

A method for networked device control, the method comprising:

• deploying a plurality of networked device controllers operative to implement a protocol of automatic device discovery and control;
• connecting at least one non-protocol-compliant device to any of said controllers and not configured for use with said protocol prior to being connected to said controller;
• generating any of an interface and a control element associated with any of said devices;
• establishing a proxy configured for use with said protocol and operative to control said non-protocol-compliant device;
• and
• configuring any of said controllers with said interface and control element generated for said device connected to said controller.

A method for networked device control, the method comprising:

• deploying a plurality of networked device controllers operative to implement a protocol of automatic device discovery and control;
• connecting at least one protocol-compliant device to any of said controllers and configured for use with said protocol prior to being connected to said controller;
• connecting at least one non-protocol-compliant device to any of said controllers and not configured for use with said protocol prior to being connected to said controller;
• generating any of an interface and a control element associated with any of said devices;
• establishing a proxy configured for use with said protocol and operative to control said non-protocol-compliant device;
• and
• configuring any of said controllers with said interface and control element generated for said device connected to said controller.

A method for communicating UPnP™ commands to a non-UPnP™-compliant device, the method comprising:

• converting a control specification of a non-UPnP™-compliant device into a mapping between at least one non-UPnP™ command and at least one UPnP™ command;
• creating an instance of a UPnP™ device to receive UPnP™ commands and output a corresponding command to said non-UPnP™-compliant device;
• looking up a UPnP™ command in said mapping;
• and
• sending a corresponding command to said non-UPnP™-compliant device.