Method and Device for Selecting a Networked Media Device

A computer device configured for selecting a media device to receive and then play or distribute digital media files, where the media device is or has been connected to a network over which the digital media is to be delivered to the media device, and where the computer device is operably connected to the network, the computer device comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and that is configured to:
• identify media devices that have been connected to the network;
• direct the storage in the memory of identification information for available media devices that are currently connected to the network and turned on, and also identification information for unavailable media devices that are not currently turned on or are not currently connected to the network;
• receive a selection of either an available or an unavailable media device;
• and
• in response to receiving a selection of either an available or an unavailable media device, provide for the distribution of digital media over the network to the selected media device.

A network appliance that is configured to allow the selection of a media device that is enabled to receive and then play or distribute digital media files, where the media device is or has been connected to a network over which the digital media is to be delivered to the media device, and where the network appliance is available on the network, the network appliance comprising:

• a persistent memory;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and that is configured to:
• identify media devices that have been connected to the network, wherein media devices that have been connected to the network are identified by periodically querying available media devices on the network and retrieving identifying information for such available media devices, wherein the retrieved identifying information comprises the MAC address of the media device, the IP address of the media device, and information concerning the functionality of the media device;
• direct the storage in the memory of identification information for available media devices that are currently connected to the network and turned on, and also identification information for unavailable media devices that are not currently turned on or are not currently connected to the network;
• remove from the database media device identifying information if the media device has not been available on the network for a predetermined period of time;
• receive from a user a selection of either an available or an unavailable media device;
• and
• in response to receiving a selection of either an available or an unavailable media device, determine whether the selected media device is compatible with the digital media that is to be distributed to the selected media device and communicate incompatibility if the selected media device is incompatible with the digital media that is to be distributed to the selected media device, and provide for the distribution of digital media over the network to the selected media device, which includes communicating at least some of the stored identification information to a source of digital media, and wherein the distribution of digital media to the selected media device begins only when the selected device becomes available on the network.