Method of and apparatus for managing resource allocation and bandwidth overflow in a cooperative, distributed computing environment

A system network comprising:

• a. a plurality of listening devices coupled together within a network to send and receive communications;
• and
• b. a sourcing device coupled to the plurality of listening devices to provide content selections to the listening devices within a single data stream, the sourcing device including:
• i. an interfacing circuit including a source plug coupled to the network through which the single data stream is transmitted;
• and
• ii. a controlling circuit coupled to the interfacing circuit for controlling the content selections that are included within the single data stream, wherein the controlling circuit maintains a record which associates content selections with a requesting device;
• wherein a clearing device clears a previous content selection by sending a clear command to the sourcing device and further wherein the clear command includes a scope notification specifying whether or not the clear command is to clear a specified content selection regardless of the devices associated with the specified content selection and still further wherein a requesting device adds a requested content selection to the single data stream by sending a content command to the sourcing device including a warning notification specifying whether or not the content command is to be executed even if the requested content selection will exceed bandwidth capabilities of any one of the sourcing device and the listening devices.

A sourcing device for providing content selections to one or more listening devices within a single data stream comprising:

• a. an interfacing circuit configured to couple to the one or more listening devices;
• b. a controlling circuit coupled to the interfacing circuit for controlling the content selections that are included within the single data stream, wherein the controlling circuit maintains a record which associates content selections with a requesting device;
• and
• c. a clearing device to clear a previous content selection by sending a clear command to the sourcing device, wherein the clear command includes a scope notification specifying whether or not the clear command is to clear a specified content selection regardless of the devices associated with the specified content selection.

A method of distributing content selections within a single data stream to a network including a plurality of devices comprising the steps of:

• a. maintaining a record which associates content selections with a requesting device;
• b. receiving a clear command from a clearing device, wherein the clear command includes a scope notification specifying whether or not the clear command is to clear a specified content selection regardless of the devices associated with the specified content selection;
• c. disassociating all devices from the specified content selection if the scope notification specifies that the clear command is to clear the specified content selection regardless of the devices associated with the specified content selection;
• d. disassociating only the clearing device from the specified content selection if the scope notification does not specify that the clear command is to clear the specified content selection regardless of the devices associated with the specified content selection;
• and
• e. clearing the specified content selection if no devices are associated with the specified content selection.

A method of providing content selections to one or more listening devices from a sourcing device within a single data stream comprising the steps of:

• a. receiving a content command from a requesting device to add a requested content selection to the single data stream, wherein the content command includes a warning notification specifying whether or not the content command is to be executed even if the requested content selection will exceed bandwidth capabilities of any one of the sourcing device and the listening devices;
• b. determining if addition of the requested content selection to the single data stream will exceed bandwidth capabilities of any one of the sourcing device and the listening devices;
• c. clearing one or more existing content selections within the single data stream and adding the requested content selection to the single data stream if the warning notification specifies that the content command is to be executed even if the requested content selection will exceed bandwidth capabilities of any one of the sourcing device and the listening devices and it is determined that addition of the requested content selection will exceed the bandwidth capabilities of any one of the sourcing device and the listening devices;
• and
• d. rejecting the content command if the warning notification specifies that the content command is not to be executed if the requested content selection will exceed bandwidth capabilities of any one of the sourcing device and the listening devices and it is determined that addition of the requested content selection will exceed the bandwidth capabilities of any one of the sourcing device and the listening devices.