System and method for enabling the establishment and use of a personal network

1. A method for operating a first computing device as part of a personal network, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising:

linking the first computing device to one or more other computing devices that form at least a portion of the personal network, the first computing device having a first set of capabilities;

obtaining configuration information for each of the one or more other computing devices operating as part of the personal network;

configuring the first computing device to initiate a communication with another of the one or more other computing devices upon the first computing device joining the personal network after linking to the one or more other computing devices, the communication including configuration information for the first computing device operating as part of the personal network;

establishing at least a portion of a network control repository using the configuration information obtained from the one or more other computing devices, the network repository including configuration information that includes (i) data identifying the one or more other computing devices, (ii) data identifying whether each of the one or more other computing devices is actively connected to the personal network, and (iii) data that is indicative of a set of capabilities for each of the or more other computing devices;

automatically updating the network repository at a given instance with configuration information to reflect at least a connectivity status of any of the one or more other computing devices at the given instance;

responding, on the first computing device, to user input that selects (i) the first computing device to access a media data source accessible to any given one of the one or more computing devices, and (ii) an output destination on any one of the computing devices of the personal network; and

transmitting media data of the media data source from the given one of the one or more computing devices to the output destination, using the configuration information from the network control repository.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing at least the portion of the network control repository includes storing at least the portion of the network control repository on the first computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first computing device or the output destination corresponds to a roaming device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically updating the network repository includes storing data that indicates which of the other computing devices of the personal network have joined the personal network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting media data of the media data source includes using the configuration information from the network control repository to establish a peer-to-peer connection between the first computing device and the output destination.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting media data of the media source includes using the configuration information from the network control repository to determine, on the first computing device, one or more intermediate devices that are to perform a function to enable the media data to be transmitted to the output destination.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more intermediate devices perform a function of transcoding the media data of the media source into a format that is in accordance with the capability of the output destination.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising broadcasting the communication from the first computing device to at least one other device of the personal network when joining the personal network, the communication identifying the first computing device and indicating the status of the first computing device as being active on the personal network.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the communication identifies a capability of the first computing device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the communication identifies a location of the first computing device.

11. A computing device comprising:

a memory that stores a set of instructions;

one or more processors that use instructions in the set of instructions to:

link the computing device to one or more other computing devices that form at least a portion of a personal network, the computing device having a first set of capabilities;

obtain configuration information for each of the one or more other computing devices operating as part of the personal network;

configure the computing device to initiate a communication with another of the one or more other computing devices upon the computing device joining the personal network after linking to the one or more other computing devices, the communication including configuration information for the computing device operating as part of the personal network;

establish at least a portion of a network control repository using the configuration information obtained from the one or more other computing devices, the network repository including configuration information that includes (i) data identifying the one or more other computing devices, (ii) data identifying whether each of the one or more other computing devices is actively connected to the personal network, and (iii) data that is indicative of a set of capabilities for each of the or more other computing devices;

automatically update the network repository at a given instance with configuration information to reflect at least a connectivity status of any of the one or more other computing devices at the given instance;

respond, on the computing device, to user input that selects (i) the computing device to access a media data source accessible to any given one of the one or more computing devices, and (ii) an output destination on any one of the computing devices of the personal network; and

transmit media data of the media data source from the given one of the one or more computing devices to the output destination, using the configuration information from the network control repository.

12. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein establishing at least the portion of the network control repository includes storing at least the portion of the network control repository on the computing device.

13. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the computing device or the output destination corresponds to a roaming device.

14. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein automatically updating the network repository includes storing data that indicates which of the other computing devices of the personal network have joined the personal network.

15. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein transmitting media data of the media data source includes using the configuration information from the network control repository to establish a peer-to-peer connection between the computing device and the output destination.

16. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein transmitting media data of the media source includes using the configuration information from the network control repository to determine, on the computing device, one or more intermediate devices that are to perform a function to enable the media data to be transmitted to the output destination.

17. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the one or more intermediate devices perform a function of transcoding the media data of the media source into a format that is in accordance with the capability of the output destination.

18. The computing device of claim 11 , further comprising broadcasting a communication from the computing device to at least one other device of the personal network when joining the personal network, the communication identifying the computing device and indicating the status of the computing device as being active on the personal network.

19. The computing device of claim 18 , wherein the communication identifies a capability of the computing device.

20. The computing device of claim 19 , wherein the communication identifies a location of the computing device.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations that include:

linking the computing device to one or more other computing devices that form at least a portion of a personal network, the computing device having a first set of capabilities;

obtaining configuration information for each of the one or more other computing devices operating as part of the personal network;

configuring the computing device to initiate a communication with another of the one or more other computing devices upon the computing device joining the personal network after linking to the one or more other computing devices, the communication including configuration information for the computing device operating as part of the personal network;

establishing at least a portion of a network control repository using the configuration information obtained from the one or more other computing devices, the network repository including configuration information that includes (i) data identifying the one or more other computing devices, (ii) data identifying whether each of the one or more other computing devices is actively connected to the personal network, and (iii) data that is indicative of a set of capabilities for each of the or more other computing devices;

automatically updating the network repository at a given instance with configuration information to reflect at least a connectivity status of any of the one or more other computing devices at the given instance;

responding, on the computing device, to user input that selects (i) the computing device to access a media data source accessible to any given one of the one or more computing devices, and (ii) an output destination on any one of the computing devices of the personal network; and

transmitting media data of the media data source from the given one of the one or more computing devices to the output destination, using the configuration information from the network control repository.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein establishing at least the portion of the network control repository includes storing at least the portion of the network control repository on the computing device.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the computing device or the output destination corresponds to a roaming device.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein automatically updating the network repository includes storing data that indicates which of the other computing devices of the personal network have joined the personal network.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein transmitting media data of the media data source includes using the configuration information from the network control repository to establish a peer-to-peer connection between the computing device and the output destination.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein transmitting media data of the media source includes using the configuration information from the network control repository to determine, on the computing device, one or more intermediate devices that are to perform a function to enable the media data to be transmitted to the output destination.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein the one or more intermediate devices perform a function of transcoding the media data of the media source into a format that is in accordance with the capability of the output destination.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations that include:

broadcasting the communication from the computing device to at least one other device of the personal network when joining the personal network, the communication identifying the computing device and indicating the status of the computing device as being active on the personal network.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28 , wherein the communication identifies a location or capability of the computing device.

30. A system for operating a first computing device as part of a personal network, the system comprising:

means for linking the first computing device to one or more other computing devices that form at least a portion of the personal network, the first computing device having a first set of capabilities;

means for obtaining configuration information for each of the one or more other computing devices operating as part of the personal network;

means for configuring the first computing device to initiate a communication with another of the one or more other computing devices upon the first computing device joining the personal network after linking to the one or more other computing devices, the communication including configuration information for the first computing device operating as part of the personal network;

means for establishing at least a portion of a network control repository using the configuration information obtained from the one or more other computing devices, the network repository including configuration information that includes (i) data identifying the one or more other computing devices, (ii) data identifying whether each of the one or more other computing devices is actively connected to the personal network, and (iii) data that is indicative of a set of capabilities for each of the or more other computing devices;

means for automatically updating the network repository at a given instance with configuration information to reflect at least a connectivity status of any of the one or more other computing devices at the given instance;

means for responding, on the first computing device, to user input that selects (i) the first computing device to access a media data source accessible to any given one of the one or more computing devices, and (ii) an output destination on any one of the computing devices of the personal network; and

means for transmitting media data of the media data source from the given one of the one or more computing devices to the output destination, using the configuration information from the network control repository.