Alternate channel for command streaming

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which a processing system actuates a control processor connected to a network, and configures the control processor to receive signals from equipment of a service provider, so that the control processor is enabled to control remote devices. The processing system selects a device, configures the selected device for control by the control processor, and selects a streaming service to be associated with the selected device. The streaming service delivers audiovisual content in a first stream and provides, via an application programming interface of the streaming service, a control command to the control processor in a second stream. The control processor translates the control command to a device command and transmits the device command to control the selected device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:   configuring a control processor to receive signals from equipment of a service provider via a network, to enable the control processor to control one or more of a plurality of devices remote from the control processor;   communicating with the one or more devices to configure each of the one or more devices for control by the control processor, resulting in configured devices;   generating a list of streaming services and the configured devices, the list indicating devices used by each streaming service;   selecting a streaming service from the list; and   communicating the list to the selected streaming service, to identify configured devices available to the selected streaming service,   wherein the selected streaming service delivers audiovisual content including audio content, video content, or a combination thereof in a first stream to an audiovisual presentation device, and provides a control command to the control processor in a second stream separate from the first stream for controlling a selected configured device to perform an operation other than presenting the audiovisual content.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the audiovisual presentation device is separate from the configured devices. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the selected streaming service provides the control command via an application programming interface of the selected streaming service. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control processor translates the control command to a device command, and transmits the device command to control the selected configured device. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the control processor translates the control command according to a protocol for the selected configured device. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the control processor communicates with the selected configured device according to the protocol, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 assigning tags to device commands for controlling the selected configured device; and   generating a control tag list associating the tags with the device commands, thereby facilitating a protocol translation procedure for the selected configured device.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 requesting a credential from the control processor; and   authenticating the control processor to the selected streaming service using the credential.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operation other than the presenting the audiovisual content comprises producing a light, a sound, a smell, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control command actuates a heating control, a cooling control, an alarm, a lighting display, a toy, a therapeutic device, a wearable device, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control command comprises metadata embedded in the audiovisual content. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 configuring, by a processing system including a processor, a control processor to receive signals from equipment of a service provider via a network, to enable the control processor to control one or more of a plurality of devices;   communicating, by the processing system, with the one or more devices to configure each of the one or more devices for control by the control processor, resulting in configured devices;   generating, by the processing system, a list of streaming services and the configured devices, the list indicating devices used by each streaming service;   selecting, by the processing system, a streaming service from the list; and   communicating, by the processing system, the list to the selected streaming service, to identify configured devices available to the selected streaming service,   wherein the selected streaming service delivers audiovisual content including audio content, video content, or a combination thereof in a first stream to an audiovisual presentation device, and provides a control command to the control processor in a second stream separate from the first stream for controlling a selected configured device to perform an operation other than presenting the audiovisual content.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the audiovisual presentation device is separate from the configured devices. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the selected streaming service provides the control command via an application programming interface of the selected streaming service. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control processor translates the control command to a device command, and transmits the device command to control the selected configured device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the control processor translates the control command according to a protocol for the selected configured device. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 configuring a control processor to receive signals from equipment of a service provider via a network, to enable the control processor to control one or more of a plurality of devices remote from the control processor;   communicating with the one or more devices to configure each of the one or more devices for control by the control processor, resulting in configured devices;   generating a list of streaming services and the configured devices, the list indicating devices used by each streaming service;   selecting a streaming service from the list; and   communicating the list to the selected streaming service, to identify configured devices available to the selected streaming service,   wherein the selected streaming service delivers audiovisual content including audio content, video content, or a combination thereof in a first stream to an audiovisual presentation device, and provides a control command to the control processor in a second stream separate from the first stream for controlling a selected configured device to perform an operation other than presenting the audiovisual content, wherein the control command comprises metadata embedded in the audiovisual content.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the audiovisual presentation device is separate from the configured devices. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the selected streaming service provides the control command via an application programming interface of the selected streaming service. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the control processor translates the control command to a device command, and transmits the device command to control the selected configured device. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the control processor translates the control command according to a protocol for the selected configured device.