The disclosure is related to monitoring a legacy device using at least one smart device. A gateway of an automation system may monitor an operation status of a target legacy device located in a service area of an automation system using at least one of smart devices participating in the automation system. In order to monitor, a monitoring request may be received for monitoring the target legacy device from user equipment associated with a user. At least one of monitoring smart devices may be controlled for monitoring the target legacy device. Monitoring results may be received from the at least one of monitoring smart devices. The received monitoring results may be provided to the user through the user equipment using at least one of outputting monitoring smart devices.

A display apparatus including a display which displays content, a communicator configured to communicate with a remote controller and an external device, and a controller. The controller being configured to, upon receiving a control command from the external device, control operation of the display apparatus based on the received control command, control the received control command to be transmitted to the remote controller, and control the communicator to transmit the received control command to the external device through the remote controller.

This invention relates generally to computer systems, and more specifically, to a premise monitoring system. In one embodiment, the invention includes operations of receiving one or more signals containing a device identifier and a device condition from one or more remote alarm monitoring systems; retrieving enhanced information based on the device identifier and/or the device condition; determining one or more communication methods and/or communication destinations based on the device identifier and/or the device condition; and dispatching the enhanced information to the one or more communication destinations using the one or more communication methods.

An intermediary between a remote control device and a remotely controllable device implements identification and/or authentication. The intermediary is, e.g., a node or set of nodes within a head end of a cable network service provider. A remote control device at a customer premise sends a command intended to control a remotely controllably device which is also located at the same customer premise. The customer premise includes a network interface, e.g., a cable modem, which has associated identification information. The command and the associated network interface identification information are communicated to the intermediary, e.g., via a cable modem. The intermediary accesses a subscriber record corresponding to the location based on the network interface identification information. The intermediary identifies the device to be controlled, e.g., a particular set top box and/or authenticates the remote control device. A command is sent via the network to the device to be controlled.

Electronic systems are provided for secure actuation of a remote device such as a moveable barrier operator. The systems address the man in the middle problem of persons intercepting and duplicating radio frequency signals from a control device by introducing timing parameters into a bidirectional communication sequence between at least two devices.

This invention relates generally to computer systems, and more specifically, to a premise monitoring system. In one embodiment, the invention includes operations of receiving one or more signals containing a device identifier and a device condition from one or more remote alarm monitoring systems; retrieving enhanced information based on the device identifier and/or the device condition; determining one or more communication methods and/or communication destinations based on the device identifier and/or the device condition; and dispatching the enhanced information to the one or more communication destinations using the one or more communication methods.

A remote control framework enables a plurality of target devices to be controlled by a plurality of remote control devices irrespective of bearer types. In a preferred embodiment any target device may also act as a control device and any control device may also act as a target device. The framework also enables any application running on any target device to be controlled by any controller device.

A control system may comprise a plurality of audio output devices (e.g., controllable speakers), and a remote control device having at least one button for selecting a preset, where the preset defines different commands for at least two of the audio output devices. The at least two audio output devices may be configured to be controlled according to the different commands (e.g., starting, pausing, or stopping playback, adjusting volume, etc.) in response to an actuation of the button of the remote control device. The control system may also comprise a load control device, such as a dimmer configured to control an intensity of a lighting load to a predetermined intensity in response to the actuation of the button of the remote control device to select the preset. The audio output device may be configured to play a feedback signal indicating an operational characteristic of the dimmer.

Electronic systems are provided for secure actuation of a remote device such as a moveable barrier operator. The systems address the man in the middle problem of persons intercepting and duplicating radio frequency signals from a control device by introducing timing parameters into a bidirectional communication sequence between at least two devices.

An operating system that can control any apparatus is provided. The operating system (1001) includes an input receiving device (1060), a first information processing device (1100), a second information processing device (1200), and an infrared output device (1070). The operating system (1001) operates a first-type apparatus (1010) operable by communication of an infrared pattern and a second-type apparatus (1020) operable via a network. The first information processing device (1100) is connected to the input receiving device (1060) and configured to analyze operation information corresponding to an input operation. The second information processing device (1200) is configured to control the second-type apparatus (1020) (controlled apparatus (B)) via the network based on a control instruction. The infrared output device (1070) is configured to output an infrared pattern corresponding to a control instruction to the first-type apparatus (1010) (controlled apparatus (A)).