Integrated home service network

Abstract

A centralized home controller that is used to coordinate a plurality of associated packet communication clients is described herein. The home controller provides a centralized and unified control and messaging system for the various packet communication clients. The home controller also allows the packet communication clients to establish and control packet sessions among the associated packet communication clients, as well as between any one of the packet communication clients and remote clients. The packet communication clients are provided in consumer electronics devices, and the associated packet sessions support data, voice, audio, or video content. In one embodiment, the home controller acts as a proxy for the various communications between the packet communication clients.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a home controller, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a home controller, an instruction from a first of a plurality of associated packet communication clients via at least one packet communications interface; and   in response to the instruction, establishing or controlling a first media session between a second of the plurality of associated packet communication clients and a third of the plurality of associated packet communication clients, the plurality of associated packet communication clients provided by a plurality of consumer electronics devices coupled to the home controller.