Methods and apparatus for a universal device controller using peer to peer communication

A communications device, comprising:

• means for receiving a first wireless signal from a remotely controllable device;
• means for adding said remotely controllable device to a list of controllable devices in wireless communications range of said communications device;
• means for initializing a lifetime value for said remotely controllable device;
• means for enabling control of the remotely controllable device via a user interface on the communications device;
• means for determining, based on said lifetime value, whether or not to remove the remotely controllable device from said list, said means for determining including means for comparing the lifetime value for said remotely controllable device to a drop threshold;
• and
• means for re-initializing the lifetime value for said remotely controllable device in response to receiving a second wireless signal from said remotely controllable device.

A computer program product for use in a communications device, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:
• code for causing at least one computer to receive a wireless signal from a remotely controllable device;
• code for causing said at least one computer to add said remotely controllable device to a list of controllable devices in wireless communications range of said communications device;
• code for causing said at least one computer to initialize a lifetime value for said remotely controllable device;
• code for causing said at least one computer to enable control of the remotely controllable device via a user interface on the communications device;
• code for causing said at least one computer to determine, based on said lifetime value, whether or not to remove the remotely controllable device from said list, said code for causing said at least one computer to determine including code for causing said at least one computer to compare the lifetime value for said remotely controllable device to a drop threshold;
• and
• code for causing said at least one computer to re-initialize the lifetime value for said remotely controllable device in response to receiving a second wireless signal from said remotely controllable device.

A communications device comprising:

• at least one processor configured to:
• receive a first wireless signal from a remotely controllable device;
• add said remotely controllable device to a list of controllable devices in wireless communications range of said communications device;
• initialize a lifetime value for said remotely controllable device;
• enable control of the remotely controllable device via a user interface on the communications device;
• determine, based on said lifetime value, whether or not to remove the remotely controllable device from said list, said processor being further configured to compare the lifetime value for said remotely controllable device to a drop threshold as part of being configured to determine whether or not to remove the remotely controllable device from said list based;
• and
• re-initialize the lifetime value for said remotely controllable device in response to receiving a second wireless signal from said remotely controllable device;
• and
• memory coupled to said at least one processor.