Method and apparatus for sharing functions between devices via a network

An apparatus for sharing a function between devices via a network, the apparatus comprising:

• a transceiver configured to transmit, in response to a selection by a first device, of the apparatus capable of performing at least one of an encoding function and a decoding function which is unavailable at the first device, from among devices connected to the network, a response to the first device for authorizing a linkage with the first device based on an encoding incapability or a decoding incapability of the first device, and to receive multimedia content which is unplayable by the first device via the linkage;
• and
• a processor configured to process the multimedia content by at least one of encoding and decoding the multimedia content to enable the first device to play the processed multimedia content,
• wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit result data comprising the processed multimedia content to the first device via the linkage.

A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for implementing a method of sharing a function between devices via a network, the method comprising:

• transmitting, by a second device, in response to a selection by a first device, of the second device capable of performing at least one of an encoding function and a decoding function which is unavailable at the first device, from among devices connected to the network, a response to the first device for authorizing a linkage with the first device;
• receiving, by the second device, multimedia content which is unplayable by the first device based on an encoding incapability or a decoding incapability of the first device, via the linkage;
• processing the multimedia content by at least one of encoding and decoding the multimedia content to enable the first device to play the processed multimedia content;
• and
• transmitting result data comprising the processed multimedia content to the first device via the linkage.