A communication system includes a first mobile terminal, a second mobile terminal, a smart device, and a router. The first mobile terminal, the second mobile terminal, and the smart device each establish a Wi-Fi link to a Wi-Fi router. The first mobile terminal is configured to manage the smart device. The router performs similarity comparison on first connection information and second connection information based on the first connection information generated when the first mobile terminal is connected to the router and the second connection information generated when the second mobile terminal is connected to the router, for example, a connection time point and connection duration. If a similarity reaches a first threshold, the router sends prompt information to the first mobile terminal. The prompt information is used to prompt whether to share management permission on the smart device with the second mobile terminal.

The present invention relates to a method of configuring a central control unit (U) belonging to a home-automation installation (U) or a home-automation device (D) comprising a central control unit (U) and belonging to a home-automation installation, the method being implemented by the central control unit (U) and comprising the following steps: Obtaining (EcfU16) of a location identifier (SvclcL) of a first remote configuration service (Svlc); Dispatching (EcfU17) of a configuration request (MConn) destined for the first remote configuration service (Svclc) by using the location identifier (SvclcL) and linked with an identifier of the central control unit (U); Reception (ECfU 19) of at least one set of data or of configuration instructions (cfgl) and/or of at least one identifier of a second functional remote service (Svc2) originating from the first remote configuration service (Svclc); Configuration (ECfU20) on the basis of the at least one set of data or of configuration instructions (cfgl) and/or of the at least one identifier of a second functional remote service (Svc2);

An application gateway including application service programming positioned at a user premises can provide voice controlled and managed services to a user and one or more endpoint devices associated with the application gateway. The application gateway can be controlled remotely by the application service provider through a service management center and configured to execute an application service provided from the application service provider. The application gateway can execute the application service at the user premises upon voice command by a user and independent of application services executing on the application service provider's network. An application service logic manager can communicate with an application service enforcement manager to verify that the request conforms with the policy and usage rules associated with the application service in order to authorize execution of the application service on the application gateway, either directly or through endpoint devices.

A server and a control method are provided. The server includes a communication interface for performing communication with a plurality of electronic devices and a plurality of sensing devices, and at least one processor configured to identify a sensing device corresponding to a user's location from among the plurality of sensing devices based on information received from at least one of the plurality of electronic devices and the plurality of sensing devices through the communication interface, and control the communication interface to transmit a signal for controlling a target electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices to the target electronic device based on sensing data received from the identified sensing device.

A networked system has a first device which sends commands to one or more other devices. If those other devices are able to follow the commands, they inhibit reporting of their status. Thus, network status data is maintained based on the commands, unless status reports indicate that the commands could not be followed or that status changes have been made which were not in response to commands from the first device.

A demand response system includes a mobile application of a mobile device that is configured to initiate altering an operating condition of a network device disposed at a site using location based services. A demand response application interface module is configured to enable access between a utility company and the network device to communicate energy management information therebetween. The network device is configured to be remotely altered by each of the demand response application interface module and the mobile application separately based on the location based services and the energy management information. A method of managing a demand response system includes detecting a user being disposed away from a site, detecting energy management information from a utility company associated with the site, and initiating a reduction in energy use at the site in response to the relative location of the user and the energy management information.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a mobile assistant device that obtains information regarding device locations of a plurality of devices; the mobile assistant device is enabled to move among at least a portion of the device locations. The mobile assistant device detects an indication of a need for maintenance, repair, and/or user attention, relating to a target device. The mobile assistant device moves to a location of the target device; obtains device information regarding a condition of the target device; and reports the device information to equipment of the user and/or a controller of the mobile assistant device. The mobile assistant device engages with the user and/or equipment of the user to provide instructions to the equipment of the user for resolving an issue relating to the target device, and can physically engage with the target device to resolve the issue. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Systems and methods are provided for implementing a device-independent scene in a home automation environment. One embodiment is a method comprising receiving information regarding a home-independent home automation scene, the information identifying a zone property and an identified zone type; identifying, in the designated home, a zone corresponding to the identified zone type; identifying at least one home automation device capable of affecting the zone property in the identified zone; for each of the identified devices, identifying a device state of the respective device that contributes to the zone property; storing a home-automation scene for the designated home, wherein the home-automation scene comprises information identifying the at least one identified devices and the respective identified device states of those devices; and in response to user selection of the stored home-automation scene, causing the at least one identified device to perform the respective identified actions.

An example user terminal apparatus includes communication circuitry configured to be connected to a home network comprising a plurality of devices; a display configured to display a UI screen for managing the home network; a sensor configured to sense a user manipulation of the UI screen; and processing circuitry configured to change the UI screen displayed on the display according to the user manipulation. The UI screen is one of a plurality of service pages that are changeable according to a user manipulation in a first direction, the plurality of service pages being pages for respectively providing different home network management services. At least one of the plurality of service pages comprises an area that is displayable on the display according to a user manipulation in a second direction.

A wireless media player and a related system and methodology are provided. One aspect of the wireless media player system pertains to a virtual connector system, apparatus, and method for the automatic establishment of wireless connectivity with other electronic devices. In one embodiment, the media player device displays one of the stored display content, communicates configuration information with at least one target device via a proximity wireless link, establishes a communication link with the at least one target device in accordance with the configuration information communicated via the proximity wireless link and transmits a content which corresponds to the display content being displayed on the display unit at a time of establishing the proximity wireless link to the at least one target device over the established communication link.