Method and apparatus for providing a prioritized list of display devices for display of a media file

A mobile computing device for providing a prioritized list of display devices for display of a media file, the prioritized list being provided on the mobile computing device, the display devices being connected to the mobile computing device in a network, the mobile computing device comprising:

• a memory that stores a plurality of instructions, the instructions being usable for providing the prioritized list of display devices;
• and
• a processor that executes the instructions to:
• determine characteristics of the media file;
• discover by the mobile computing device the display devices connected to the mobile computing device;
• discover by the mobile computing device display characteristics of the display devices;
• create the prioritized list of the display devices by comparing the characteristics of the media file to the display characteristics of the display devices;
• and
• provide the prioritized list of the display devices on the mobile computing device for selection by a user;
• wherein the characteristics of the media file are at least one of a resolution of the media file and a duration of the media file;
• and
• wherein the display characteristics of the display devices include at least one of a native resolution and a power availability of each of the display devices;
• wherein the processor creates the prioritized list of the display devices by comparing the resolution of the media file to the native resolutions of each of the display devices and arranges display devices higher on the prioritized list that have a native resolution that more closely matches the resolution of the media file;
• and
• wherein the processor creates the prioritized list of the display devices by arranging display devices without sufficient available power to display the media file at the bottom of the prioritized list of the display devices.

A mobile computing device for providing a first prioritized list of first display devices and a second prioritized list of second display devices for display of a media file, the first prioritized list and the second prioritized list being provided on the mobile computing device, the first display devices being connected to the mobile computing device in a local network, the second display devices being in a remote network, the mobile computing device comprising:

• a memory that stores a plurality of instructions, the instructions being usable for providing the first and second prioritized list of display devices;
• and
• a processor that executes the instructions to:
• determine characteristics of the media file;
• discover by the mobile computing device the first display devices and the second display devices connected to the mobile computing device;
• discover by the mobile computing device display characteristics of the first and second display devices;
• create the first and the second prioritized lists of the first and the second display devices by comparing the characteristics of the media file to the display characteristics of the first and the second display devices, respectively;
• and
• provide the first and the second prioritized list of the display devices on the mobile computing device for selection by a user.