| US 7,404,187 B2 | ||
| Control object and user interface for controlling networked devices | ||
| Andrew C. Baird, Kirkland, Wash. (US); and Griffith Kadnier, Edmonds, Wash. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash. (US) | ||
| Filed on Oct. 29, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/977,809. | ||
| Application 10/977809 is a continuation of application No. 09/339649, filed on Jun. 24, 1999, granted, now 6,823,519. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0091665 A1, Apr. 28, 2005 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. G06F 9/46 (2006.01); G06F 9/54 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 719—313 [719/321; 709/223] | 10 Claims |
| 1. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for registering control objects, the computer-executable
instructions performing:
broadcasting a control message from an enabled control object to inform other registered control objects that said enabled
control object exists;
determining if said enabled control object is a first registered control object;
appointing said first registered object to be a manager object to administer a list of logical attributes of software controllable
devices, all control objects being capable of being a manager object in a system for controlling a plurality of software controllable
devices having embedded operating systems and represented by a plurality of control objects that maintain said list of logical
attributes of respective ones of said software controllable devices, said control object accepting and issuing control messages
to and from said respective ones of said software controllable devices, and said control object being a component object model
object and polymophic such that said control object is adapted to take on the logical attributes and command and control capabilities
of any of said software controllable devices.
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