Internet control system and method

1. A control system, comprising:

a plurality of control area networks;

a control network portal coupled between the Internet and said plurality of control area networks, wherein the control network portal is operable to receive requests from the Internet and to service the received requests;

a plurality of devices included in each of said control area networks, each of the plurality of devices included in a particular control area network being operable to perform a specified work task; and

a plurality of master controllers, each master controller coupled to a different control area network, the master controller coupled to said particular control area network being operable to send commands to control each of said plurality of associated devices included in said particular control area network in performing their respective work tasks, the control network portal including an Internet appliance server coupled to the Internet and operable to pass command messages between the Internet and the master controllers of respective control area networks.

2. The control system, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the Internet appliance server comprises a software device emulator operable to spawn a software logical device for the Internet, whereby commands from a master controller destined for the Internet are delivered to the software logical device.

3. The control system, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the Internet appliance server comprises:

a control system status indicator; and

at least one software logical device representative of the Internet; and

at least one software logical device representative of a device in one of the networks.

4. The control system, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the control network portal comprises a web server and the web server is operable to receive requests from the Internet and to service the received requests.

5. The control system, as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising at least one user interface coupled to a control area network and in communication with the master controller thereof.

6. The control system, as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the Internet appliance server comprises a software device emulator operable to spawn a software logical device for the Internet, whereby commands from a master controller destined for the Internet are delivered to the software logical device, at least one user interface each comprises:

a display; and

a user input device operable to receive a user input.

7. The control system, as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the at least one user interface each comprises:

a control system status indicator; and

a user input device operable to receive a user input.

8. A control system, comprising:

a plurality of master controllers, each master controller coupled to a different one of a plurality of control area networks and operable to send and to receive commands;

at least one user interface operable to accept user inputs, including commands to be sent to one of said master controllers;

a plurality of devices included in each of said networks, each of said devices included in a particular control network being operable to perform a specified work task; and

a control network portal coupled between the Internet and each of said plurality of control area networks to place the Internet in communication with each of the master controllers, said control network portal including an Internet appliance server operable to pass command messages between the Internet and respective master controllers, said control network portal being operable to receive requests from the Internet and to service the received requests.

9. The control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said control network portal is operable to enable a device accessible over the Internet to be controlled as a device in a given control area network under the control of the master controller that is coupled to the given network.

10. A control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the Internet appliance server comprises a software device emulator operable to spawn a software logical device for the Internet, whereby commands from one of the master controllers destined for the Internet are delivered to the software logical device.

11. The control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the Internet appliance server comprise:

at least one software logical device representative of the Internet; and

at least one software logical device representative of a device in one of the networks.

12. The control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the at least one user interface is a touch panel.

13. The control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the Internet appliance server comprises at least one protocol converter operable to convert between a first protocol used by the Internet appliance server and a second protocol used in one of the networks.

14. The control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein at least one device comprises a lighting system.

15. The control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein at least one device comprises a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system.

16. The control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the at least one device comprises an audio-visual system.

17. The control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein at least one device comprises a security system.

18. The control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein at least one device comprises a surveillance system.

19. The control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein at least one device comprises a fire protection system.

20. The control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein at least one device comprises a household appliance.

21. The control system, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein at least one device comprises a household equipment.