Method and apparatus for creating and managing clusters of mobile audio devices

A method comprising:

• receiving a request to join a sharing group from a requesting media player device, the sharing group comprising a plurality of member media player devices each being associated with one of a plurality of users;
• enabling at least one of the plurality of users to vote to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group;
• making a determination as to whether to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group based on at least one vote received from the at least one of the plurality of users;
• adding the requesting media player device to the sharing group if the determination is made to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group;
• wherein enabling the at least one of the plurality of users to vote comprises enabling the plurality of users to vote;
• and
• making the determination as to whether to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing, group comprises permitting the requesting media player device to join the sharing group only if all of the plurality of users vote to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group.

A method comprising:

• receiving a request to join a sharing group from a requesting media player device, the sharing group comprising a plurality of member media player devices each being associated with one of a plurality of users;
• enabling at least one of the plurality of users to vote to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group;
• making a determination as to whether to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group based on at least one vote received from the at least one of the plurality of users;
• adding the requesting media player device to the sharing group if the determination is made to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group;
• wherein enabling the at least one of the plurality of users to vote comprises enabling the plurality of users to vote during a synchronized time window;
• and
• making the determination as to whether to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group comprises permitting the requesting media player device to join the sharing group if a majority of votes received from the plurality of users within the synchronized time window are votes to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group.

A media player device comprising:

• a communication interface communicatively coupling the media player device to a network;
• and
• a control unit associated with the communication interface and adapted to:
• receive, from a requesting media player device, a request to join a sharing group of which the media player device is a member, the sharing group comprising a plurality of member media player devices including the media player device and each of the plurality of member media player devices being associated with one of a plurality of users;
• enable a broadcasting user associated with one of the plurality of member media player devices responsible for broadcasting media content to others of the plurality of member media player devices in the sharing group to vote;
• make a determination to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group if the broadcasting user votes to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group;
• and
• add the requesting media player device to the sharing group if the determination is made to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group.

A media player device comprising:

• a communication interface communicatively coupling the media player device to a network;
• and
• a control unit associated with the communication interface and adapted to:
• receive, from a requesting media player device, a request to join a sharing group of which the media player device is a member, the sharing group comprising a plurality of member media player devices including the media player device and each of the plurality of member media player devices being associated with one of a plurality of users;
• enable the plurality of users to vote;
• make a determination to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group only if all of the plurality of users vote to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group;
• and
• add the requesting media player device to the sharing group if the determination is made to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group.

A media player device comprising:

• a communication interface communicatively coupling the media player device to a network;
• and
• a control unit associated with the communication interface and adapted to:
• receive, from a requesting media player device, a request to join a sharing group of which the media player device is a member, the sharing group comprising a plurality of member media player devices including the media player device and each of the plurality of member media player devices being associated with one of a plurality of users;
• enable the plurality of users to vote during a synchronized time window;
• make a determination to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group if a majority of votes received from the plurality of users within the synchronized time window are votes to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group;
• and
• add the requesting media player device to the sharing group if the determination is made to permit the requesting media player device to join the sharing group.