Method of managing resources within a network of consumer electronic devices

A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method of managing resources within a network including a plurality of consumer electronic media devices, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a resource manager for managing resources within said method;
• b) receiving a request for a media service, said request identifying a source consumer electronic media device and a destination consumer electronic media device that are necessary for performing said media service;
• c) based on said request, said resource manager determining whether said source consumer electronic media device and said destination consumer electronic device are available for performing said media service;
• d) said resource manager determining whether a routing path between said source and said destination consumer electronic media devices has sufficient bandwidth for performing said media service;
• and
• e) provided said plurality of electronic media devices are available and provided said routing path has sufficient bandwidth, said resource manager transmitting control signals to cause said plurality of consumer electronic media devices to provide said media service.

A home server comprising:

• a processor;
• a bus coupled to said processor;
• and
• a computer readable memory coupled to said bus and having stored therein computer readable program code for causing said home server to perform a method of managing resources within a network including a plurality of consumer electronic media devices, said home server, said method comprising the steps of:
• a) providing a resource manager for managing resources of said network;
• b) receiving a request for a media service, said request identifying a source consumer electronic media device and a destination consumer electronic media device coupled to said network that are necessary for performing said media service;
• c) based on said request, said resource manager determining whether said source consumer electronic media device and said destination consumer electronic device are available for performing said media service;
• d) said resource manager determining whether a routing path between said source and said destination consumer electronic media devices has sufficient bandwidth for performing said media service;
• and
• e) provided said plurality of electronic media devices are available and provided said routing path has sufficient bandwidth, said resource manager transmitting control signals to cause said plurality of consumer electronic media devices to provide said media service.