Apparatus and method for configuring, networking and controlling unique network-capable devices
Configuring a control session comprises receiving a request to execute an input/output application from a content control application executing on a mobile control device and receiving a request from at least one other mobile control device to participate in the control session. Configuring the control session also includes aggregating a plurality of real-world connectable processing nodes into an application session set of processing nodes by allocating at least one function required by the input/output application for execution on each processing node in the set of processing nodes, wherein the set of processing nodes is determined based on processing requirements of the input/output application.
1 . An apparatus for connecting an entertainment device to a network comprising:
a connector, wherein the connector is connected to the entertainment device;
a processor electrically connected to the connector, the processor executing an application for controlling content presented on the entertainment device, said application configured by a server;
memory electrically connected to the processor;
a transceiver electrically connected to the processor, said transceiver connected to the network;
wherein the transceiver distinguishes the messages from the server destined for the apparatus from messages destined to other similar apparatuses on the network.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the connector is an HDMI connector.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the connector is an audio connector.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network is a wireless network.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the wireless network is an IEEE 802.11 network.
6 . The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the wireless network is a Bluetooth network.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is designated as a guest device by the server.
8 . A method for connecting an entertainment device to a network comprising:
connecting a client device to the entertainment device using a media interface port;
executing an application on the client device, the application controlling the content presented on the entertainment device;
configuring the application from a server;
monitoring the network for messages destined to a plurality of client devices for messages destined to the client device.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the media interface port is an HDMI port.
10 . The method of claim 8 wherein the media interface port is an audio port.
11 . The method of claim 8 wherein the network is a wireless network.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the wireless network is an IEEE 802.11 network.
13 . The method of claim 11 wherein the wireless network is a Bluetooth network.
14 . The method of claim 8 wherein the client device is designated as a guest device by the server.
15 . A network node comprising:
a connection means, wherein the connection means connects the node to an entertainment device;
a processor means electrically connected to the connection means, the processor means executing an application means for controlling content presented on the entertainment device, said application means configured by a server;
a transceiver electrically connected to the processor means, said transceiver connected to the network;
wherein the transceiver distinguishes the messages from the server destined for the apparatus from messages destined to other similar nodes on the network.
16 . The network node of claim 15 wherein the network is a wireless network.
17 . The network node of claim 16 wherein the wireless network is an IEEE 802.11 network.
18 . The network node of claim 16 wherein the wireless network is a Bluetooth network.
19 . The network node of claim 15 wherein the node is designated as a guest device by the server.
20 . The network node of claim 15 wherein the message is parsed into meaningful information by a decoding means.