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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 p

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.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A method for communicating control information in a control system, wherein the control system includes a control area network, a master controller and a plurality of devices, each of said plurality of devices having a number of channels, each channel having an identify

The invention claimed is: 1. A method for communicating control information in a control system, wherein the control system includes a control area network, a master controller and a plurality of devices, each of said plurality of devices having a number of channels, each channel having an identifying number and a plurality of channel states, said master controller and said plurality of devices being in communication with said control area network, the method comprising: at least initially directing one or more messages sent to and from each device to said master controller; sending a first type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein a control message of said first type directs the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state; sending a second type of control message and a third type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein a control message of said second type directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and a control message of said third type comprises a character string of variable length; sending a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and temporarily assigning a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein all messages sent to and from each device are at least initially directed to said master controller. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising converting the character string of said third type of control message to a format supported by one of said plurality of devices configured to receive said character string. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising inserting control messages of one or more of said control message types as respective control message components into a packet, in accordance with a specified protocol, for transmission between said master controller and one of said plurality of devices. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising said master controller periodically querying respective devices to monitor availability of respective devices for communication of information. 6. The method of claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of devices includes an identification number and one or more ports, each of said ports having an identification number and one or more channels. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising said master controller rendering a channel of a first device into an input state to receive an input from said first device; and said master controller rendering a channel of a second device into an output state to send said input received from said first device as an output to said second device. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein each of said channels is configured to indicate a specific function, parameter or property of its corresponding device. 9. The method of claim 6, wherein a message sent between said master controller and one of said plurality of devices includes an address indicating the identification number of the one of said plurality of devices, and of the port and channel thereof originating or receiving the message. 10. The method of claim 2, wherein said master controller is configured to exchange messages between respective devices of said control area network and the Internet. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said master controller comprises at least one from the group consisting of a device manager, a diagnostic manager, a configuration manager and an IP port connection manager. 12. A control system comprising: a control area network; a master controller; a plurality of devices, wherein each of said plurality of devices is configured with a plurality of channels, each channel having an identification number and a plurality of channel states; and wherein said master controller and said plurality of devices are in communication with said control area network, said control system is configured to: at least initially direct one or more messages sent to and from each device to said master controller, said master controller is configured to send a first type of control message, a second type of control message and a third type of control message to respective devices, each device is configured to receive the first type of control message, the second type of control message and the third type of control message such that the first type of control message directs the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state, the second type of control message directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, the third type of control message directs the respective device to receive a character string of variable length; send a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and temporarily assign a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto. 13. The control system of claim 12, wherein all messages sent to and from each device are at least initially directed to said master controller. 14. The control system of claim 13, wherein said character string of said third type of control message is converted to a format supported by at least one of said plurality of devices configured to receive said character string. 15. The control system of claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of devices includes an identification number and one or more ports, each of said ports having an identification number and one or more channels. 16. The control system of claim 15, wherein said master controller is configured to render a channel of a first device into an input state to receive an input from said first device, and is further configured to render a channel of a second device into an output state to send said input received from said first device as an output to said second device. 17. The control system of claim 13, wherein said master controller is coupled to exchange messages between respective devices of said control area network and the Internet. 18. The control system of claim 17, wherein said master controller comprises a plurality of managers. 19. The control system of claim 18, wherein said managers comprise at least one from the group consisting of a device manager, a diagnostic manager, a configuration manager and an IP port connection manager. 20. A control system comprising: a control area network; a master controller; a plurality of devices, wherein each of said plurality of devices is configured with a plurality of channels, each channel having an identification number and a plurality of channel states; and wherein said master controller and said plurality of devices are in communication with said control area network, said control system is configured to: at least initially direct one or more messages sent to and from at least one device to said master controller, said master controller is configured to send a control message to one of said plurality of devices, said one of said plurality of devices being configured upon receipt of said control message to perform at least one of placing one of said plurality of channels of said one of said plurality of devices in a specified channel state, setting the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and receiving a character string of variable length; send a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and temporarily assign a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto. 21. A computer program product embedded in a computer-readable storage medium for communicating control information in a control system, wherein the control system includes a control area network, a master controller and a plurality of devices, each of said plurality of devices having a number of channels, each channel having an identifying number and a plurality of channel states, said master controller and said plurality of devices being in communication with said control area network, the computer program product comprising: a first computer code for at least initially directing one or more messages sent to and from each device to said master controller; a second computer code for sending a first type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein a control message of said first type directing the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state; and a third computer code for sending a second type of control message and a third type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein the second type of control message directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and the third type of control message comprises a character string of variable length; a fourth computer code for sending a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and a fifth computer code for temporarily assigning a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto. 22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein all messages sent to and from each device are at least initially directed to said master controller. 23. The computer program product of claim 22, further comprising a sixth computer code for converting said character string of said third type of control message to a format supported by at least one of said plurality of devices configured to receive said character string. 24. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising a seventh computer code for inserting control messages of one or more of said control message types as respective control message components into a packet, in accordance with a specified protocol, for transmission between said master controller and one of said plurality of devices. 25. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising a sixth computer code for said master controller periodically querying respective devices to monitor availability of respective devices for communication of information. 26. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein each of said plurality of devices includes an identification number and one or more ports, each of said ports having an identification number and one or more channels. 27. The computer program product of claim 26, further comprising a sixth computer code for rendering a channel of a first device into an input state to receive an input from said first device, and a seventh computer code for rendering a channel of a second device into an output state to send said input received from said first device as an output to said second device. 28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein each of said channels is configured to indicate a specific function, parameter or property of its corresponding device. 29. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein a message sent between said master controller and one of said plurality of devices includes an address indicating the identification numbers of the one of said plurality of devices, and of the port and channel thereof originating or receiving the message. 30. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein said computer program further comprising a sixth computer code for exchanging messages between respective devices of said control area network and the Internet. 31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said master controller comprises at least one from the group consisting of a device manager, a diagnostic manager, a configuration manager and an IP port connection manager. 32. A control system comprising: a control area network; a master controller; a plurality of devices, wherein each of said plurality of devices is configured with a plurality of channels, each channel having an identification number and a plurality of channel states, wherein said master controller and said plurality of devices are in communication with said control area network; and means for at least initially directing all messages sent to and from each device to said master controller; means for sending a first type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein the first type of control message directs the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state; means for sending a second type of control message and a third type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein the second type of control message directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and the third type of control message comprises a character string of variable length; means for sending a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and means for temporarily assigning a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto. 33. A method for communicating control information in a control system, wherein the control system includes a control area network, a master controller and a plurality of devices, each of said plurality of devices having a number of channels, each channel having an identifying number and a plurality of channel states, said master controller and said plurality of devices being in communication with said control area network, said master controller being in communication with an IP data network, the method comprising: at least initially directing one or more messages sent to and from each device to said master controller; sending a first type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein a control message of said first type directs the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state; sending a second type of control message and a third type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein a control message of said second type directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and a control message of said third type comprises a character string of variable length; sending a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and temporarily assigning a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto.