Abstract: An apparatus for mounting a device in a wall box is provided that includes a base plate formed by a substantially flat front portion and a plurality of side portions extending to the rear to define a substantially open rear portion, and at least one magnet. The front portion is connected to a device. The base plate is configured to be substantially inserted into a magnetically engageable wall box arranged on a wall. Each magnet is connected to one of the plurality of side portions. At least one magnet is operably configured to magnetically engage an interior wall of the magnetically engageable wall box.

Abstract: A multimedia system and method that provides easy universal text searching for non-technical users, is disclosed. A configuration of the multimedia system and method of the present invention also facilitates content delivery through multiple, independent, simultaneous feeds from a single source to two or more different destinations without impairing audio and/or video and/or data stream quality.

Abstract: A method and computer program are provided for implementing an interactive bargraph that includes associating an interactive bargraph with an independent touch map image having a plurality of pixel values, displaying the interactive bargraph, determining a current level of the interactive bargraph based on the content of the touch map image, and updating the display of the interactive bargraph based on the current level of the interactive bargraph.

Abstract: A control system, method and computer program are provided for communicating control information in a control system. The control system includes a master controller and a plurality of devices. Each of the plurality of devices have a number of channels. Each channel has an identifying number and a plurality of channel states. The method includes at least initially directing one or more messages sent to and from each device to the master controller, sending a first type of control message from the master controller to respective devices, and sending a second type of control message and a third type of control message from the master controller to respective devices. A control message of the first type directs the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state. A control message of the second type directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and a control message of the third type comprises a character string of variable length.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for building and displaying control and non-interactive, non-control information on a touch panel. The method can include constructing a page for display on the touch panel, configuring one or more graphical display units and one or more sub-pages for display on the page, and displaying the page, graphical display units and sub-pages, selectively, on the touch panel. The method further includes determining whether any of the graphical display units is activated by a touch message applied to a location on the touch panel. Respective graphical display units may be selectively provided with features from a group of features that includes bitmaps, icons, borders and text. Two graphical display units having respective active touch areas may be displayed on the touch panel so that their active touch areas are separated by no more than one pixel.

Abstract: A control system of the present invention includes at least one device, a network interconnecting the at least one device, a control network portal coupled between the network and the Internet, and a master controller coupled to the network and operable to control the operations of the Internet and the at least one device, the Internet is controllable as a device coupled to the network.

Abstract: A method and computer program are provided for graphically configuring devices in a control area network that includes providing one or more application programming interfaces, creating one or more graphical objects on a computer display using a graphical user interface, and associating one or more functions of an application programming interface with one or more of the devices using the graphical user interface. Each application programming interface corresponds to a class of devices and includes a set of functions. Each class of devices includes one or more devices. At least one of the graphical objects represents one or more of the devices.

Abstract: A cordless electronic device with power management system and method is provided that includes an outer surface, a power consumption circuit operable to consume power and for use in a cordless electronic device, a power supply circuit operable to regulate the power from a power source used to power the power consumption circuit of the cordless electronic device, a power control circuit operable to receive an input signal and to place the power consumption circuit in a lower or higher power state upon receipt of the input signal, a presence sensor operable to detect the presence of a user and to provide a presence sensor input signal to the power control circuit to place the power consumption circuit in the higher power state.