Media manager for controlling autonomous media devices within a network environment and managing the flow and format of data between the devices

A method of managing operation of and communication between a network of devices comprising:

• a. maintaining a control module for each device in the network, wherein the control module includes the capabilities of the device and any subdevices within the device and further wherein the control module is responsible for control of the device;
• b. providing an interface to a user through which a task to be completed is requested by the user;
• c. determining appropriate devices and subdevices required for completion of the task by searching the control modules, wherein virtual devices are formed from available subdevices if appropriate devices are not available for completion of the task;
• and
• d. completing the task by instructing appropriate control modules to provide instructions to the appropriate devices and subdevices.

An apparatus for controlling operation of and communication between a network of devices comprising:

• a. a plurality of control modules, each representing a device in the network wherein each control module includes capabilities of a corresponding device and any subdevices within the corresponding device and further wherein the control module is responsible for control of the device;
• b. an interface configured to communicate with a user wherein a task to be completed is requested by the user through the interface;
• and
• c. a control circuit, coupled to the plurality of control modules, to the network and to the interface, configured to determine appropriate devices and subdevices required for completion of the task by searching the control modules and to complete the task by instructing appropriate control modules to provide instructions to the appropriate devices and subdevices, wherein the control circuit also determines if the appropriate devices and subdevices are currently available for completion of the task and forms virtual devices from available subdevices to complete the task when the appropriate devices and subdevices are not currently available.

An apparatus for controlling operation of and communication between a network of devices comprising:

• a. means for representing each device in the network including the capabilities of the device and any subdevices within the device and further wherein the means for representing is responsible for control of the device;
• b. means for interfacing for communicating with a user, wherein a task to be completed is requested by the user through the interface;
• and
• c. means for controlling coupled to the means for representing, to the network and to the means for interfacing for determining appropriate devices and subdevices required for completion of a task by searching the means for representing and completing the task by instructing the means for representing to provide instructions to the appropriate devices and subdevices, wherein the means for controlling also determines if the appropriate devices and subdevices are currently available for completion of the task and forms virtual devices from available subdevices to complete the task when the appropriate devices and subdevices are not currently available.