Method and system supporting mobile coalitions

1. A system for supporting mobile coalitions for entertainment, comprising:

a plurality of devices including at least a master device;

a server having a service executable by the master device; and

one or more modules operable on the plurality of devices and the server, the modules operable to recommend formation of a coalition based on the service, invite one or more of the plurality of devices to participate in the coalition with the master device, set up the coalition by determining the one or more devices to participate in the coalition, launching on each participating device a link to the coalition, performing emulation of the coalition by transmitting a distinct portion of the service to each participating device until experience is satisfactory, and continuing by transmitting the service to the participating devices, capture interactions on the devices by the users, the interactions comprising at least gestures and taps that correlate to messages of quality of experience, adapt the coalition by managing user inputs conveying quality of experience indicators, maintaining temporal synchronization of the distinct portions of the service to the participating devices, maintaining spatial relationships between participating devices, and maintaining the service when one or more of the participating devices cease to participate, the modules further operable to contact the devices, obtain agreement to participate in the coalition from at least one of the contacted devices, and inform each of the devices having agreed to participate of the time and location of the coalition and how to co-locate each device relative to the other participating devices, the modules further operable to group the devices into sets that can receive information streams together with assistance from end users who view a module-generated visual metaphor on one or more screens and use the metaphor as an interactive assignment mode to assign a coalition aspect to each device; and

terminating the coalition.

2. The system according to claim 1 , the modules further operable to group the devices into sets that can receive information streams together, inform the devices of a time and location for the coalition, and request agreement to participate from each of the devices in response to the invitation to participate.

3. The system according to claim 1 , the modules further operable to analyze a service requested in accordance with whether the service can be delivered in entirety to the coalition, said analyzing comprising one or more of analyzing networks in range of the master device and the participating devices, analyzing available bandwidth of the master device and the participating devices, analyzing processing, display, and networking capabilities of the devices, analyzing availability of potential coalition device participants, and analyzing metadata to determine how coalition devices should be physically co-located with each other.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the devices register their location, availability and capabilities with the server in a canonical syntax.

5. A method for supporting mobile coalitions for entertainment, comprising steps of:

recommending formation of a coalition based on a service selected on a master device, and inviting one or more devices to participate in the coalition with the master device;

setting up the coalition by determining the one or more devices to participate in the coalition, launching on each participating device a link to the coalition, performing emulation of the coalition by streaming a distinct portion of the service to each participating device until experience is satisfactory, and continuing by streaming the service to the participating devices;

capturing interactions on the devices by the users, the interactions comprising at least gestures and taps that correlate to messages of quality of experience;

adapting the coalition by managing user inputs conveying quality of experience indicators, maintaining temporal synchronization of the distinct portions of the service to the participating devices, maintaining spatial relationships between participating devices, and maintaining the service when one or more of the participating devices cease to participate;

grouping the devices into sets that can receive information streams together with assistance from end users who view a module-generated visual metaphor on one or more screens and use the metaphor as a interactive assignment mode to assign a coalition aspect to each device and

terminating the coalition;

wherein the step of setting up further comprises:

contacting the devices;

obtaining agreement to participate in the coalition from at least one of the contacted devices; and

informing each of the devices having agreed to participate of the time and location of the coalition and optionally how to co-locate each device relative to the orientation and position of other participating devices to best jointly receive the service in question.

6. The method according to claim 5 , the step of recommending further comprising:

grouping the devices into sets that can receive information streams together;

informing the devices of a time and location for the coalition; and

requesting agreement to participate from each of the devices in response to the invitation to participate.

7. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising steps of analyzing a service requested in accordance with whether the service can be delivered in entirety to the coalition, said analyzing comprising one or more of analyzing networks in range of the master device and the participating devices, analyzing available bandwidth of the master device and the participating devices, analyzing processing, display, and networking capabilities of the devices, analyzing availability of potential coalition device participants, and analyzing metadata to determine how coalition devices should be physically co-located with each other to best jointly receive the service.

8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the devices register their location, availability and capabilities with the server in a canonical syntax.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform a method for supporting mobile coalitions for entertainment, comprising:

recommending formation of a coalition based on a service selected on a master device, and inviting one or more devices to participate in the coalition with the master device;

setting up the coalition by determining the one or more devices to participate in the coalition, launching on each participating device a link to the coalition, performing emulation of the coalition by streaming a distinct portion of the service to each participating device until experience is satisfactory, and continuing by streaming the service to the participating devices;

capturing interactions on the devices by the users, the interactions comprising at least gestures and taps that correlate to messages of quality of experience;

adapting the coalition by managing user inputs conveying quality of experience indicators, maintaining temporal and spatial synchronization of the distinct portions of the services to the participating devices, maintaining spatial relationships between participating devices, and maintaining the service when one or more of the participating devices cease to participate;

grouping the devices into sets that can receive information streams together with assistance from end users who view a module-generated visual metaphor on one or more screens and use the metaphor as a interactive assignment mode to assign a coalition aspect to each device; and

terminating the coalition;

wherein the setting up further comprises:

contacting the devices;

obtaining agreement to participate in the coalition from at least one of the contacted devices; and

informing each of the devices having agreed to participate of the time and location of the coalition and how to co-locate each device relative to the other participating devices.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9 , the recommending further comprising:

grouping the devices into sets that can receive information streams together;

informing the devices of a time and location for the coalition; and

requesting agreement to participate from each of the devices in response to the invitation to participate.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9 , further comprising analyzing a service requested in accordance with whether the service can be delivered in entirety to the coalition, said analyzing comprising one or more of analyzing networks in range of the master device and the participating devices, analyzing available bandwidth of the master device and the participating devices, analyzing processing, display, and networking capabilities of the devices, analyzing availability of potential coalition device participants, and analyzing metadata to determine how coalition devices should be physically co-located with each other.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the devices register their location, availability and capabilities with the server in a canonical syntax.