| US 7,603,385 B2 | ||
| Device constellation management | ||
| Ruston John David Panabaker, Bellevue, Wash. (US); Eric Horvitz, Kirkland, Wash. (US); Gregory Baribault, Lynnwood, Wash. (US); Michael Sinclair, Kirkland, Wash. (US); Alexander Frank, Bellevue, Wash. (US); and Scott C. Forbes, Redmond, Wash. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash. (US) | ||
| Filed on Nov. 20, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/561,853. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2008/0120401 A1, May 22, 2008 | ||
| Int. Cl. G06F 17/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 707—104.1 [707/1; 707/10; 709/243; 709/248] | 20 Claims |
| 1. A method of managing a plurality of devices in a federated network comprising:
forming a federated network comprising a plurality of devices; and federating a sub-network of devices within the federated
network comprising at least a portion of the plurality of devices, wherein the devices in the sub-network of devices have
a capability of performing a function associated with the federated network and the function associated with the federated
network comprises control of play of media data, and wherein the media data is initially played on a first device in the plurality
of devices; and
in response to the first device moving to within a predetermined distance of a second device in the plurality of devices,
automatically beginning play of the media data on the second device and discontinuing play of the media data on the first
device;
wherein play of the media data provides the media data to a user.
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