Dynamically mediating multimedia content and devices
A mediator having at least a ranking component, a listening component, and a control component, selectively controls a group of devices from a plurality of network devices in a network environment to reproduce multimedia content. The mediator correlates the multimedia content with the plurality of network devices. The listening component collects data about the network environment to enhance a user's experience with the multimedia content. The mediator utilizes the network environment data and the correlation of the multimedia content and the plurality of network devices to automatically select the group devices from the plurality of network devices that maximize a user's viewing or listening pleasure when reproducing the multimedia content on the group of devices.
1. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable components, the computer-readable medium comprising:
a ranking component to assign values, indicating importance, to content and a plurality of devices;
a listening component to receive device offerings and content preferences and to compile the device offerings and the content preferences; and
a control component to specify a level of user intervention when reproducing the ranked content based on the device offerings and content preferences received by the listening component.
2. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an arbitration component to resolve device or content contention.
3. The computer-readable medium according to claim 2 , wherein the arbitration component automatically selects a device to reproduce the content.
4. The computer-readable medium according to claim 3 , wherein the arbitration component determines a precedence of the device using values assigned by the ranking component.
5. The computer-readable medium according to claim 2 , wherein the arbitration component automatically selects content to be reproduced on a group of devices of the plurality of devices.
6. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein the ranking component assigns values based on business rules.
7. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein the level of user intervention is set to zero.
8. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein the listening component collects network environment data.
9. A computer-implemented method comprising:
assigning, by a ranking component, values indicating importance to content and a plurality of devices;
receiving, at a listening component, device offerings and content preferences and compiling the device offerings and the content preferences; and
specifying, by a control component, a level of user intervention when reproducing the ranked content based on the device offerings and content preferences received by the listening component.
10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
resolving, by an arbitration component, device or content contention.
11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 10 , wherein a device to reproduce the content is selected by the arbitration component without user intervention.
12. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein a precedence of the device is determined by the arbitration component using values assigned by the ranking component.
13. The computer-implemented method according to claim 10 , wherein a group of devices of the plurality of devices to reproduce the content is selected by the arbitration component without user intervention.
14. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9 , wherein the values are assigned based on business rules.
15. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9 , wherein the level of user intervention is set to zero.
16. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9 , wherein network environment data is collected by the listening component.
17. A computer system having a processor and memory, the computer system further comprising:
a ranking component configured to assign values, indicating importance, to content and a plurality of devices;
a listening component configured to receive device offerings and content preferences and to compile the device offerings and the content preferences; and
a control component configured to specify a level of user intervention when reproducing the ranked content based on the device offerings and content preferences received by the listening component.
18. The computer system according to claim 17 , further comprising:
an arbitration component to resolve device or content contention.
19. The computer system according to claim 17 , wherein the arbitration component automatically selects a device to reproduce the content.
20. The computer-readable medium according to claim 19 , wherein the arbitration component determines a precedence of the device using values assigned by the ranking component.
21. The computer system according to claim 18 , wherein the arbitration component automatically selects content to be reproduced on a group of devices of the plurality of devices.
22. The computer system according to claim 17 , wherein the ranking component assigns values based on business rules.
23. The computer system according to claim 17 , wherein the level of user intervention is set to zero.
24. The computer system according to claim 17 , wherein the listening component collects network environment data.