Combination brouter and cluster controller

In a system having first and second communications media and a plurality of devices, apparatus for transmitting data from a first one of the plurality of devices coupled to the first medium to one of a second one of the plurality of devices and a third one of the plurality of devices, wherein the second medium has a state in which the second medium is not available for transmitting data:

• network interface means coupled to the first medium for receiving and examining data from the first device, wherein the network interface means is a consumer electronics bus (CEBus) network interface;
• clustering means coupled to the network interface means for selectively coupling the second device to the network interface means if the network interface means identifies the second device as being coupled to the clustering means;
• transmitting means for transmitting the data from the network interface means to the second device by way of the clustering means, regardless of whether the second medium is available for transmitting data, if the network interface means identifies the second device as being a destination to which the data are transmitted;
• and
• routing means for transmitting the data from the network interface means to the third device by way of the second medium if the network interface means identifies the third device as being the destination to which the data are transmitted.

In a system having first and second communications media and a plurality of devices, apparatus for transmitting data from a first one of the plurality of devices coupled to the first medium to one of a second one of the plurality of devices and a third one of the plurality of devices, wherein the second medium has a state in which the second medium is not available for transmitting data:

• network interface means coupled to the first medium for receiving and examining data from the first device;
• clustering means coupled to the network interface means for selectively coupling the second device to the network interface means if the network interface means identifies the second device as being coupled to the clustering means;
• transmitting means for transmitting the data from the network interface means to the second device by way of the clustering means, regardless of whether the second medium is available for transmitting data, if the network interface means identifies the second device as being a destination to which the data are transmitted;
• routing means for transmitting the data from the network interface means to the third device by way of the second medium if the network interface means identifies the third device as being the destination to which the data are transmitted;
• and
• means for storing a respective address associated with each respective one of the plurality of devices, wherein the network interface means uses the addresses to determine whether the local device is coupled to the clustering means.

In a system having first and second communications media and a plurality of devices, apparatus for transmitting data from a first one of the plurality of devices coupled to the first medium to one of a second one of the plurality of devices and a third one of the plurality of devices, comprising:

• network interface means coupled to the first medium for receiving and examining data from the first device;
• address storing means for storing a respective address associated with each respective one of the plurality of devices;
• clustering means coupled to the network interface means for selectively coupling the second device to the network interface means if the network interface means identifies the second device as being coupled to the clustering means;
• command storing means for storing a plurality of device commands for controlling a device coupled to the clustering means wherein the network interface means identifies one of the plurality of device commands associated with the data;
• transmitting means for transmitting the identified device command from the network interface means to the second device by way of the clustering means if the network interface means identifies the second device as being a destination to which the identified device command is transmitted, wherein the network interface means determines whether the second device is coupled to the clustering means based on the addresses stored in the address storing means;
• and
• routing means for transmitting the data from the network interface means to the third device by way of the second medium if the network interface means identifies the third device as being the destination to which the identified device command is transmitted.

In a system having first and second communications media and a plurality of devices, apparatus for transmitting data from a first one of the plurality of devices coupled to the first medium to one of a second one of the plurality of devices and a third one of the plurality of devices, comprising:

• network interface means coupled to the first medium for receiving and examining data from the first device;
• address storing means for storing a respective address associated with each respective one of the plurality of devices;
• clustering means coupled to the network interface means for selectively coupling the second device to the network interface means if the network interface means identifies the second device as being coupled to the clustering means;
• command storing means for storing a plurality of macro commands for controlling the apparatus wherein the network interface means identifies one of the plurality of macro commands associated with the data;
• transmitting means for transmitting the identified command macro from the network interface means to the second device by way of the clustering means if the network interface means identifies the second device as being a destination to which the identified command macro is transmitted, wherein the network interface means determines whether the second device is coupled to the clustering means based on the addresses stored in the address storing means;
• and
• routing means for transmitting the data from the network interface means to the third device by way of the second medium if the network interface means identifies the third device as being the destination to which the data are transmitted.