Abstract: In an embodiment, a system for managing window blinds is provided. The system comprises an electronic device and an application stored on the device that when executed directs, based on a stored schedule, blinds for a first group of windows in a room in a structure to execute a first action. The system also directs, based on the schedule, blinds for a second group of windows in the room to execute a second action. The system also directs, based on the schedule, blinds for the first and second groups to take a third action. The actions comprise at least one of opening slats, closing slats, opening the blinds, and closing the blinds. The application transmits the directions to the groups via at least one of Internet connection, WiFi connection, and other wireless connections via an intermediary device and via Bluetooth and transmits via Bluetooth without intermediary device.

Abstract: A method (of operating a central node to acknowledge received messages) includes: receiving multiple data messages from multiple instances of a message-sourceable end node, respectively, each end-node-instance having an at least substantially unique identification (“ID”); and sending a dense acknowledgement message (“dense ACK”) acknowledging receipt of the data messages but not explicitly identifying any of the IDs of the corresponding end-node-instances. And a method (of operating a given instance of the end node to infer a delivery-condition at the central node of a data message sent by the given instance) including: sending a given data message including the substantially unique ID; receiving a dense ACK including a payload indicating receipt of multiple data messages but not explicitly identifying IDs of the given end-node-instance nor of other end-node-instances corresponding to the received messages, respectively; and inferring the delivery-condition based on a manipulated payload of the dense ACK.