Patent Publication Number: US-2011055935-A1

Title: System for group access to shared media, resources, and services

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to wired and wireless communications and, more particularly, to circuitry for accessing shared media. 
     2. Related Art 
     In today&#39;s world of rapidly changing devices that instantly add features that become a significant part of everyday life, the Internet has served as a backbone for coupling networks of all types include cellular and wireless local area networks as well as wired networks. As different devices are developed to operate using these networks, popular features are often limited to the particular devices. Thus, devices are often application specific incompatible application related data formats and associated interfaces through they are operable to communicate over the various wireless and wired networks. 
     Many communication systems are known to support wireless and wire lined communications between wireless and/or wire lined communication devices, nonetheless, to support global communications. Such communication systems range from national and/or international cellular telephone systems to the Internet to point-to-point in-home wireless networks. Each type of communication system is constructed, and hence operates, in accordance with one or more communication standards. For instance, wireless communication systems may operate in accordance with one or more standards, including, but not limited to, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, advanced mobile phone services (AMPS), digital AMPS, global system for mobile communications (GSM), code division multiple access (CDMA), local multi-point distribution systems (LMDS), multi-channel-multi-point distribution systems (MMDS), and/or variations thereof. 
     Depending on the type of wireless communication system, a wireless communication device, such as a cellular telephone, two-way radio, personal digital assistant (PDA), personal computer (PC), laptop computer, home entertainment equipment, etc., communicates directly or indirectly with other wireless communication devices. For direct communications (also known as point-to-point communications), the participating wireless communication devices tune their receivers and transmitters to the same channel or channels (e.g., one of a plurality of radio frequency (RF) carriers of the wireless communication system) and communicate over that channel(s). For indirect wireless communications, each wireless communication device communicates directly with an associated base station (e.g., for cellular services) and/or an associated access point (e.g., for an in-home or in-building wireless network) via an assigned channel. To complete a communication connection between the wireless communication devices, the associated base stations and/or associated access points communicate with each other directly, via a system controller, via a public switch telephone network (PSTN), via the Internet, and/or via some other wide area network. 
     Each wireless communication device includes a built-in radio transceiver (i.e., receiver and transmitter) or is coupled to an associated radio transceiver (e.g., a station for in-home and/or in-building wireless communication networks, RF modem, etc.). The various circuit blocks of a radio transceiver jointly operate to support communications and associated functionality according to the type of communication system(s) it supports. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods of operation that are further described in the following Brief Description of the Drawings, the Detailed Description of the Invention, and the claims. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment is considered with the following drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram illustrating a communication system that includes circuit devices and network elements and operation for accessing shared media according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of a network that illustrates operation for accessing shared media according to a first embodiment of the invention in which shared media does not flow through the group manager portal. 
         FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram that illustrates operation for accessing shared media according to a second embodiment of the invention in which shared media flows through the group manager portal. 
         FIG. 4  is a functional block diagram that illustrates operation for accessing shared media according to a second embodiment of the invention in which shared media stored on one group member device is accessed by another group member device. 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are functional block diagrams that illustrate operations for accessing shared media from a plurality of media sources in which different group members are primary group members for accessing the shared media from corresponding media sources according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of a group manager portal. 
         FIG. 8  is a functional block diagram of a group member device according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a method for creating and managing group access to shared media that includes associating a plurality of group member devices to a group and storing access permissions for accessing shared media for at least one the plurality of group member devices. 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart that illustrates a method for delivering media content to one group member device through another according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a method by a handheld first group member device operable to access shared media based on a group association that includes a plurality of group member devices according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a method by a handheld first group member device operable to deliver shared media based on a group association that includes a plurality of group member devices according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a method by a handheld first group member device operable to deliver shared media based on a group association that includes a plurality of group member devices according to an alternate embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a method by a group member device for accessing shared media based on a group association that includes a plurality of group member devices according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a signal sequence diagram that illustrates operation for resource sharing according to one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram illustrating a communication system that includes circuit devices and network elements and operation for accessing shared media according to one embodiment of the invention. A network  10  includes a group of wireless devices  12  that are each operable to communicate with a group manager portal  14  to access shared media  16  that is distributed by a media source  18 , to access network services, and to facilitate resource sharing. Group manager portal  14  can be a server or other device located remotely (from the user) at a service provider location or, as shown, a device within the group of wireless devices  12 . Group manager portal  14  may be a primary communication device communicatively coupled to a network through a wired network or wirelessly coupled. For example, the group manager portal  14  may comprise a dedicated appliance that operates as an account manager for the group of wireless (and wired) devices or, alternately, a designated device that is operable to support the required functionality disclosed herein. For example, the designated device may be a cell phone having such capabilities. 
     The group member devices of the group of wireless devices  12  includes a plurality of group member devices  20 - 30  that are associated as a group and have access rights to share at least one of shared media  16  (including streaming media), device hardware, device software, account and access information, data stored within the device, shared services and even access right to shared services. The shared media may be discrete files of media (e.g., video or audio content, electronic books, etc.) or streaming media received by a plurality of group member devices. All references to shared media include both discrete files of media and streaming media unless specifically limited in one example. All references to shared resources include all device content, logic, hardware and software that can be shared. The group member devices of the group of wireless devices  12  are operably coupled to communicate with group manager portal  14  and media source  18  by way of one or more of an access point/base station  32 , a network hardware  34  and a wide area network (WAN)  36 . 
     Access point/base station  32  supports communications with wireless devices using various wireless local area network and/or cellular protocols. For example, common access points utilize IEEE 802.11 based protocols while common base stations utilize variations of well-known cellular communication protocols. Reference to access point/base station  32  should be understood to refer to either type of device that may be used by a remote wireless communication device to gain access to a corresponding network. Network hardware  34  typically comprises a local area network router and a firewall to reduce unwanted intrusions by others of a local area network or, for a cellular network, cellular network hardware that can include base station controllers, switching centers, databases, etc., to support call routing and processing. Generally, such network hardware acts as a bridge to a communication infrastructure to support digital subscriber line (DSL) or any other network interface that provides or supports broadband service. 
     The group member devices of the group of wireless devices  12 , in the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 1  includes a personal digital assistant (PDA)  20 , a cell phone  22 , a laptop computer  24 , a media player  26 , a personal computer  28  and a media player  30 . Collectively, these devices are referenced as group member devices  20 - 30 . The group member devices  20 - 30  are operable to access shared media  16 , services and resources by being associated as a group of wireless devices  12  having access rights to the shared media  16 . As will be described in more in relation to the figures that follow, each of the group member devices  20 - 30  is operable not only to share media, but also to access or share hardware resources (e.g., radio resources or memory) of other of the group member devices  20 - 30 . This enables the group member device to establish communications with remote devices such as group manager portal  14  or media source  18  or a network service provider for a variety purposes. The variety of purposes for one device to share resources of another device include using the hardware resource to access shared media  16 , for example, when it cannot otherwise establish the communications to access the shared media  16  within media source  18  or to save usage or operational costs. 
     As a part of establishing a group association of group member devices  20 - 30 , group manager portal  14  is operable to store a list of authorized identities  38  for determining access to shared media  16  based on stored digital rights management specifications (DRM)  40 . Generally, each of the group member device identities for group member devices  20 - 30  are entered into memory of group manager portal  14  or are received by group manager portal  14  from at least one group member of the group of wireless devices  12 . The identities are stored in a way to create an association or group for the group member devices  20 - 30 . The associations may be permanent (until changed) or for a limited or specified duration. 
     Digital rights management (DRM) refers to access control technologies that limit access and use of content. Generally, DRM limits the playback of protected content to prevent copying and/or unpaid use of such content. Additionally, hardware often limits access to content because content is formatted in a manner in which only specified types of devices can access the content. As such, a user typically purchases multiple hand held devices to access various types of content and or services. Generally, DRM and/or hardware limitations preclude access and limit enjoyment of content and/or services that are purchased by a user. The embodiments of the invention, among other aspects, address authorized access to shared media that would otherwise by limited by digital rights management or by hardware limitations. 
     In one embodiment, for example, the group member devices  20 - 30  may be associated with a cell phone account of cell phone  22 . Thus, a cell phone service provider, as a part of managing or establishing a cell phone account for cell phone  22 , may enter the device IDs to create the group. Here, a user of cell phone  22  may be defined as being a primary group member device and, as such, may be given access to create the group or association of group member devices  20 - 30 . In this example, a user of cell phone  22  would access the cell phone account and then enter the device identities for each of the group member devices  20 - 30  to create the group. 
     As a primary group member device, cell phone  22  is further operable to modify account information, features and usage parameters for the group member devices  20 - 30  of the group of wireless devices  12 . Accordingly, when the particular account is accessed by cell phone  22 , specified data and control parameters are produced or displayed to cell phone  22 . Changes to the specified data and control parameters made by cell phone  22  are then accepted and stored by group manager portal  14  according to access rights given to cell phone  22 . 
     To illustrate, the user, through cell phone  22 , could select types of media that may be shared and a total amount of access or usage of the shared media. This total amount of access could be specified as a group total, individual group member device totals (could be different for the different devices) or even sub-group totals. For sub-groups, sub-group members of the sub-group could have equal allocations that are different from other sub-groups. Corresponding identities  38  of the devices, sub-groups and/or groups are stored by group manager portal in memory in identities  38  in relation to access permissions. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, group manager portal  14  communicates with each of the group member devices  20 - 30  as a part of creating the association to validate subsequent access requests by any one of group member devices  20 - 30  to access shared media  16 . For example, group manager portal  14  may communicate with each group member device to obtain additional identity or access information to support group access operations for shared media such as accessing shared media  16  in discrete files or as streaming media. 
     The shared media  16  includes shared media that is stored on media source  18  (as shown) or shared media that has been previously downloaded (not shown here) either to group manager portal  14  or to one or more of the group member devices  20 - 30  or media that is delivered as streaming media. Thus, the group manager portal  14  is operable to associate each of the group member devices  20 - 30  to the group of wireless devices  12  to establish group membership for the group of wireless devices  12 . For the case in which the shared media is stored upon the group devices, the group manager portal  14  communicates with at least some of the group member devices  20 - 30  to identify shared media stored thereupon. 
     The group manager portal  14  is further operable to, upon receiving a request transmitted by one of the group member devices  20 - 30 , validate access to shared media  16  that is stored on a differing group member device, to support access the shared media  16  from a media source, and to notify at least the one group member device of the group member devices  20 - 30  making the request to facilitate the access. Notifying at least one group member comprises at least one of transmitting access information including location information, access codes, encryption keys, required identities, etc. Notifying can also occur by transmitting shared media content that has been decrypted or partially decrypted. 
     The group manager portal  14  stores computer instructions that define digital rights management requirements  40  that include group access rights for associated group member devices such as group member devices  20 - 30  and allows access to the shared media by the group member devices in a manner that corresponds to the digital rights management requirements  40 . Accordingly, when one of the group member devices  20 - 30  requests access to shared media  16 , group manager portal  14  is operable to validate the request. The access rights may, however, be specific to individual group members or sub-groups of group member devices wherein different group members of group member devices  20 - 30  have different access rights in relation to other group members of group member devices  20 - 30 . 
     In one embodiment, group manager portal  14  monitors a number of times the shared media  16  is accessed by one or of the group member devices  20 - 30 . It then denies access after the shared media has been accessed a specified number of times either collectively by the group of wireless devices  12  or by the group member device of the group member devices  20 - 30  or by a sub-group of the group member devices  20 - 30 . Such access limitations may be based on digital rights management requirements  40  or a combination of such requirements  40  and usage agreements for the group member devices  20 - 30  and/or group of wireless devices  12 . 
     Group manager portal  14  is further operable to maintain a billing record  46  for at least one of shared services which can further includes shared media (stored media and streaming media, communication services, data services, etc.) for subsequent billing for the service sharing by the group member devices  20 - 30  according to usage terms. In one particular embodiment, group manager portal  14  maintains a billing record for particular shared media transfers that is associated with a cell phone account, for example, for cell phone  22  of the group member devices  20 - 30 . Cell phone  22 , in this example, is a primary group member device that has particular account access rights to modify data and control parameters associated with the group of wireless devices for one or more of the group member devices  20 - 30 . In the embodiment shown, group manager portal  14  comprises a host computer and portal software that resides on the host computer. 
     Group manager portal  14 , in one embodiment, comprises a PC host that operates to host portal software and/or act as a portal device. Such a PC host may be communicationally disposed within a private or home network or remotely to communicate with the group of wireless devices  12  via WAN  36 . Whether a cell phone, such as cell phone  22  or a PC host device operates to host portal software and/or act as a portal device, media sharing, service sharing, and resource sharing typically include communications over one or more networks including data packet networks and telephone networks and infrastructure. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the PC host device with the portal software, or more generally, a group manager portal is associated with a telephone network infrastructure. 
     In one specific embodiment, a PC host device that hosts the portal software is operable to receive and respond to first instruction signals to request access or sharing of media, services or resources and to second instruction signals for grouping related operations. Thus, for example, cell phone  22  may transmit the second instruction signals to a PC host (e.g., group manager portal  14 ) to form an association between at least two of group of wireless devices  12 . Similarly, the first instruction signal may be transmitted by any one of the group of wireless devices  12 . 
       FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of a network that illustrates operation for accessing shared media according to a first embodiment of the invention in which shared media does not flow through the group manager portal. The network  50  of  FIG. 2  is similar to network  10  of  FIG. 1 . Discussion of commonly numbered elements will not be repeated, but it should be understood that the prior discussions of such elements apply here as well. Network  50  operates as described in relation to network  10  to establish access rights for group member devices  20 - 30 . Once access rights are established, in relation to groups, sub-groups, or individual group member devices, group manager portal  14  is operable to receive a content request message  52  requesting access to shared media  16  and to validate the access request. Content request message  52  can be received from any of group member devices  20 - 30 . Content request message  52  can be solely for the device that transmitted content request message  52  or it could be for another device that also is a group member as will be described in greater detail below. 
     Once group manager portal  14  validates content request message  52  by determining that the group member device or devices seeking access to shared media  16  are authorized, group manager portal  14  transmits authorization message  54  to the group member device of group member devices  20 - 30  that transmitted content request message  52 . In the described embodiment of  FIG. 2 , once the group member device that transmitted content request message  52  receives authorization message  54 , that device engages in media access communications  56  with media source  18  to download or access shared media  16  as requested media  58 . 
     Media access communications  56  refer to communications between a media source or device with stored media and a device to establish that the device seeking access to the stored media is an authorized device. Such media access communications  56  can comprise one or more messages. Such messages may include, for example, a group identity, a sub-group identity, a group member identity, a transaction identity, an identity of the media for which access is being requested, etc. 
     Group manager portal  14  is further operable to transmit access authorization information  60  to media source  18  either in response to receiving a content request message from one of group member devices  20 - 30  to access shared media  16  or in advance to support shared access to shared media  16  by group member devices  20 - 30 . For example, group manager portal  14  may send at least one of a group identity, a sub-group identity or a list of group member device identities having an association for accessing shared media  16  to enable any one of group member devices  20 - 30  to request shared media  16 . Accordingly, media source  18  stores authorized identities  62 . 
     The access authorization information  60  may also include, in the same or subsequent transmissions or messages, information to allow access that corresponds to a specific content request message  52  transmitted by one of group member devices  20 - 30 . Accordingly, media source  18  transmits shared media  16  to respond to content request message  52  according to DRM specifications  64 . One aspect of DRM specifications  40  and/or  64  in the described embodiment of the invention is that group access to specified media content is validated based on group associations. The access authorization information  60  and the media access communications  56  facilitate a media source&#39;s process, such as media source  18 , to deliver media to authorized devices that belong to an associated group. 
     Another aspect of DRM specifications  40  and  64  in the described embodiment is that the group member devices  20 - 30  may be different types of devices having different types of hardware resources and associated capabilities wherein the group members of an associated group are allowed to use each other&#39;s resources to gain access to shared media (including streaming media) and/or other shared services. For example, PDA  20  may access the memory of media player  30  to download shared media stored by media player  30 . Alternatively, PDA  20  may utilize hardware resources of media player  30  to download shared media  16  from media source  18 . A media player  30  may establish a communication link with  52  to access network hardware  34  and media source  18  or, alternately, may utilize network resources of personal computer  28  or, more generally, to communicate with a remote device to access a service. The service may be any type of network based service. Thus, references to services and include but are not limited to communicating with media source  18  through network hardware  34  to retrieved stored media or streaming media. 
     In the example shown, media source  18  evaluates at least one identity (could a group identity, a sub-group identity or a device identity) that is identified in the media access communications  56  in relation to authorized identities stored in authorized identities  62 . Media source  18  is then able to determine that the group member device is one of the group member devices  20 - 30  that is authorized to access the requested media. Accordingly, media source  18  transmits requested media  58  or allows the group member device to download requested media  58 . 
     Many different approaches may be employed for allowing media source  18  to validate a request to shared media  16  while engaged in media access communications  56 . In one embodiment, for example, group manager portal  14  transmits a transaction ID within access authorization information  60  to media source  18  and within authorization message  54  to the group member device seeking access to shared media  16 . Accordingly, the group member device transmits the transaction ID within media access communications  56 . 
     In another embodiment, access authorization information  60  includes a listing of identities (group, device, and/or sub-group). Accordingly, the group member device also produces the same identity when requesting access to shared media  16  or other services. The variations of the content of access authorization information  60 , authorization message  54  and media access communications  56  may readily be modified according to design or system requirements. 
     One aspect, however, of the embodiment of the invention of  FIG. 2  is that group manager portal  14  communicates with both media source  18  and at least one of group member devices  20 - 30  as a part of a process in which the group member devices  20 - 30  are given access to shared media  16 . The group member device of group member devices  20 - 30 , upon receiving authorization from group manager portal  14  in authorization message  54  then communicates with media source  18  to download requested media  58  from media source  18 . Such communications may also occur with other service providers when the access or sharing request is for another service. Thus, a content request message may be in form a sharing request message for sharing a service that is different from sharing media. The example here, however, is directed to access for shared media. 
     In the operations illustrated here in  FIG. 2 , group manager portal  14  validates or authorizes access to media content stored on another device (namely, media source  18 ). In other embodiments, shared media  16  may be stored on a group member device of group member devices  20 - 30  wherein group manager portal  14  authorizes access to the shared media  16  stored on the group member device. Additionally, as will be shown in relation to  FIG. 3  below, the shared media  16  may also be stored within or flow through group manager portal  14 . 
       FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram that illustrates operation for accessing shared media according to a second embodiment of the invention in which shared media flows through the group manager portal. As described in relation to  FIG. 2 , the example of  FIG. 3  may be easily modified to specifically support sharing for other types of network based services. In  FIG. 3 , a network  80  includes group manager portal  14 , media source  18  and group member devices  20 - 30  as described before. Here, however, group manager portal  14  engages in media access communications  82  with media source  18  and receives, in response, requested media  84  from media source  18 . Thereafter, group manager portal  14  transmits the requested media or allows the requesting group member device to download requested media  86 . In one embodiment, the media access communication  82  and download of requested media  84  occurs in response to group manager portal  14  receiving and validating content requested message content request message  52 . In another embodiment, the media access communication  82  and requested media  84  can occur prior to receiving content request message  52 . Here, requested media is stored within group manager portal  14  as stored media  88 . Accordingly, after receiving content request message  52 , group manager portal  14  transmits requested media  86  (or allows requested media  86  to be downloaded). Requested media  86  comprises at least a portion of the stored media  88 . In contrast to the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the media content flows through group manager portal  14  to get to the group member device of group member devices  20 - 30  that is requesting the shared media  16 . Generally, group manager portal  14  receives content request message  52  and, upon determining that the group member device of group member devices  20 - 30  that is attempting to access the shared media  16  is part of an authorized group for shared media  16 , transmits or allows the requested media to be downloaded from it. The media is obtained by group manager portal  14  from media source  18  either prior to receiving or in response to receiving the content request message  52 . 
     If the embodiment of  FIG. 3  reflects operation for other services, the content request message and the requested media may be replaced by requests and content that corresponds to the service request including, for example, streaming audio and/or video, or data. Such streaming audio, video and data would flow through the group manager portal prior to being delivered to the requesting group member device. 
       FIG. 4  is a functional block diagram that illustrates operation for accessing shared media according to a second embodiment of the invention in which shared media stored on one group member device is accessed by another group member device. Network  100  includes group manager portal  14  and group member devices  20 - 30  as described before. In the described embodiment of  FIG. 4 , however, when a group member device of group member devices  20 - 30  requests media content or shared media  16  stored on another group member device of group member devices  20 - 30 , group manager portal  14  authorizes the group member device to access the shared media  16  stored on the other group member device. Alternately, a group member device may request access to resources (hardware, software, logic, account information or other data, for example). One purpose of requesting access to such resources may be to be able to access and retrieve shared media  16  either from a media server or even to access and retrieve media  16  that has been previously downloaded by the device whose resources are being requested. 
     More specifically, a first group member device such as PDA  20  requests access to resources of a second group member device, such as media player  26 , by transmitting resource access request message  102  to media player  26 . The resource access request can be for hardware or software resources or even for access to stored media  106 . Thereafter, media player  26  transmits a resource request message  104  to group manager portal  14 . Group manager portal  14  transmits authorization message  106  to the second group member device (here, media player  26 ). Media player  26 , which is the second group member device in the described embodiment, receives authorization message  106  and engages in media access communications  108  with the first group member device (here, PDA  20 ) to enable access to the requested resource. 
     As a part of engaging in media access communications network  108 , media player  26  transmits requested media, if the resource request was for stored media, which transmitted media is at least a portion of stored media  106 . Requested media may, alternately, be accessed and downloaded by PDA  20 . In one embodiment, group manager portal  14  transmits access authorization information  60  to PDA  20  that is used by PDA  20  to retrieve or download the requested media in the media access communications  108 . 
     In the example shown, both the media player  26  and the PDA  20  are group member devices of an associated group (e.g., group  12  of  FIG. 1 ) and have access rights to the shared media that may be accessed by group member devices  20 - 30 . While not shown explicitly here, it should be understood that the stored media  106  might have been previously loaded in manner consistent with that described in relation to  FIGS. 2-3 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are functional block diagrams that illustrate operations for accessing shared media or other services from a plurality of media sources or service devices in which different group members are primary group members for accessing the shared media or service from corresponding media sources or service devices according to one embodiment of the invention. While the specific illustration of  FIGS. 5 and 6  are directed to sharing media or services, it should be understood that a request for media content may be instead, or may also include a request for hardware or software or other resources. The example of  FIGS. 5 and 6  are directed to shared media, but the concepts illustrated by the operation and description of access to shared media can apply to any shared service. 
     A network  110  includes media source  18  and a media source  112 . In  FIG. 5 , cell phone  22  is a primary group member for group member devices  20 - 30  for shared media that is downloaded from media source  18  while media player  26  is a primary group member for media downloaded from media source  112 . Accordingly, if media player  26  wants to access or download shared media from media source  18 , media player  26  transmits a content request message  114  to cell phone  22  which in turn transmits content request message  116  to group manager portal  14 . Content request message  114  may be, for example, a resource request message that specifically makes a request for media content and that is similar to resource access request message  102  of  FIG. 4 . 
     In response, group manager portal  14  transmits authorization message  118  to cell phone  22 . Thereafter, cell phone  22  engages in media access communications  120  with media source  18  and receives or downloads requested media  122 . Finally, cell phone  22  transmits or downloads requested media  124  to media player  26 . As described previously, group manager portal  14  also transmits access authorization information  60  to media source  18  to enable media source  18  to validate access to media while engaging in media access communications  120 . 
     One aspect of the embodiment of  FIGS. 5 and 6  is that they illustrate that different groups may be defined for accessing different sources of media and that different group member devices may act as primary group devices for the different groups. The group membership is not necessarily the same for the multiple groups.  FIGS. 5 and 6  also illustrate that any group member device can belong to multiple groups. 
     In the examples of  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the group member devices  20 - 30  are group members for accessing shared media from media source  18  as well media source  112  in which media player  26  is a primary group member for media downloaded from media source  112 . In  FIG. 6 , therefore, when cell phone  22  transmits a content request message  126  to media player  26 , media player  26  transmits a content request message  128  to group manager portal  14  and receives authorization message  130  from group manager portal  14 . Thereafter, media player  26  engages in media access communications  132  with media source  112 . 
     In  FIG. 6 , group manager portal  14  sends access authorization information  60  to media source  112  instead of media source  18 . Accordingly, media source  112  validates the access to the media as a part of engaging in media access communications  132  and, in response, transmits requested media  134  to media player  26 . Media player  26  then transmits or downloads requested media  136  to cell phone  22 . 
     In  FIGS. 5 and 6 , cell phone  22  receives an initial content request message from media player  26  for media from media source  18  while media player  26  receives an initial content request from cell phone  22  for media from media source  112 . It should be understood that, in  FIG. 5 , cell phone  22  could receive such an initial request for media from any group member device of group member devices  20 - 30 . Similarly, in  FIG. 6 , media player  26  can receive a content request from any of the group member devices of group member devices  20 - 30 . 
       FIG. 7  is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of a group manager portal. A group manager portal  150  of  FIG. 7  is similar to group manager portal  14  described before. Group manager portal  150  includes processing circuitry  152  and a memory  154  that stores computer instructions executed by processing circuitry  152  to define operational logic of group manager portal  150 . The computer instructions include, for example, group operations logic to define interactions and communications with other devices to support group operations and sharing logic to support media (including media content sharing), service and resource sharing (including hardware, software, data, account and access information). 
     Group manager portal  150  also includes communications interfaces  156   a  and  156   b.  These communication interfaces represent any number of communications interfaces to support wired communications over local area networks and wireless communications over wireless local area networks, personal area networks, and cellular networks. They also represent interfaces for tethering and coupling to devices such as printers and hard disk drives for very specific operations. Additionally, group manager portal  150  includes a user interface  158  to generate displays and audio for a user and to receive user inputs. 
     Group manager portal  150  also includes digital rights management requirements  160  for group operations as described herein. The digital rights management requirements may comprise computer instructions stored within memory  154  or defined with a dedicated state logic or memory block. Accordingly, access to shared media and services can be based upon identities of devices seeking access to the shared media in relation to the digital rights management requirements specified in digital rights management requirements  160 . 
     In one embodiment, group manager portal  150  monitors a number of times shared media is accessed by one or of the group member devices  20 - 30  and denies access after the shared media or service has been accessed a specified number of times either collectively by the group of wireless devices  12 , by a sub-group of the group of wireless devices  12  or by any one group member device of the group member devices  20 - 30 . Such access limitations may be based upon digital rights management requirements  160  or upon license/usage restrictions or both. 
     Group manager portal  150  also includes group shared access media content storage  162  for storing media content and other data that may be shared with group members of group member devices  20 - 30 . Thus, for example, group manager portal  150  may download media from a specified media source and subsequently share the media (allow access to the media) by authorized group member devices of group member devices  20 - 30  when one of the group member devices requests access. 
     Group manager portal  150  includes a buffering and protocol converter block  164  for buffering shared media received on a first communications interface (e.g., interface  156   a ) until transmitted on a second communications interface (e.g., interface  156   b ). Buffering and protocol converter block  164  is further operable, based on capabilities of at least one group member device that is to receive the shared media, to convert a format or protocol used to deliver the media content to a format or protocol that is compatible with the capabilities of the group member device(s) that will receive the media content. For example, the received media content could include high definition video received that is to be delivered to a cell phone  22  having a limited graphics display. In this case, group manager portal  150  may decimate the media content to generate a video display that is sized and has resolution appropriate for the display capabilities of cell phone  22 . 
     The group manager portal  150  further maintains a content list that includes a list of content stored on each group member device of the group member devices  20 - 30 . This content list  164  is populated with entries that result from authorizing access to shared media  16 , from transmitting shared media  16  to a group member device, or by communicating with one or more group member devices  20 - 30  to determine what shared media  16  is stored thereon. 
     In one embodiment, group manager portal  150  transmits the content list  164  or at least a portion of content list  164  to at least one group member device of the group member devices  20 - 30 . Thus, group manager portal  150  is operable to receive a content request message originated by a first group member device for shared media previously delivered to a second group member device. When such a content request message is received, group manager portal  150  authorizes the first group member device to access to the shared media that was previously delivered to the second group member device, the group manager portal transmits access information to at least one of the first and second group member devices to enable the first group member device to access shared media stored on the second group member device. Alternately, group manager portal  14  transmits the shared media to the first group member device. To transmit the shared media  16  to the first group member device, group manager portal  14  retrieves the shared media from media source  18  or from the second group member device. 
     In an alternate embodiment, group manager portal  150  determines a required format or protocol for the shared media or other content including data or streaming media received from a network service provider for the first group member device based upon device capabilities of the first group member device, formats the shared media or content to correspond with the required format or protocol and transmits the shared media or content in the required format or protocol to the first group member device of group member devices  20 - 30 . 
       FIG. 8  is a functional block diagram of a group member device according to one embodiment of the invention. A wireless access device  200  includes processing circuitry  202  and a memory  204  that stores computer instructions executed by processing circuitry  202  to define operational logic of wireless access device  200 . The computer instructions include, for example, group operations logic to define interactions and communications with other devices to support group operations related to sharing of services and/or resources. Wireless access device  200  also includes communications interfaces  206   a  and  206   b.  It should be understood that these communication interfaces represent any number of communications interfaces to support communications over local area networks, wireless local area networks, personal area networks, cellular networks and also tethering and coupling to devices such as printers and hard disk drives for very specific operations. Additionally, wireless access device  200  includes a user interface  208  to generate displays and audio for a user and to receive user inputs from the user. 
     Wireless access device  200  also includes an application programming interface block (API)  210  that defines an interface and associated logic to support for group operations as described herein. Generally, API  210  includes logic and a communications interface that support group member communications for sharing media, services and resources. Such an interface includes, for example, communicating with defined signals to request access to shared media, for requesting shared media from another group member, for uploading shared media for delivery to another group member, and for storing access related data. The interface also can include using defined signals for communicating with at least one of group manager portal  14 / 150 , a media source or other group member to establish access rights to share media, other services, or resources. 
     API  210  also includes logic to facilitate hardware and other resource sharing between group member devices or associated devices. Thus, resource sharing logic specifically includes interfaces and signaling logic that enable other group member devices to utilize resources within wireless access device  200 . For example, another device could access specific memory areas (e.g., content storage area  216 ), or specific hardware resources such as software and hardware based communication interfaces. In one embodiment, a cell phone such as cell phone  22  may engage in resource sharing communications  212  to gain access to resources of wireless access device  200 . Alternately, or additionally, cell phone  22  may engage in any sharing related communications to request sharing of media or services. 
     The resource sharing communications  212  include a request by cell phone  22  to access resources of wireless access device  200 . The resources can include hardware as well as software, data, access logic, or media content. If a wireless access device  200  has software and hardware required to access a specified account for media, for example, the request by cell phone  22  can includes a request to utilize such software and hardware to download media using an associated account. 
     As another example, a PDA such as PDA  20  with only wireless local area network or personal area network (e.g., Bluetooth™) protocol radio transceiver elements may utilize cellular radio transceiver elements of wireless access device  200  to communicate over a cellular network to establish a communication link with a media source to download desired media or other service provider to access a desired service. Generally, resource sharing may be unlimited or may be limited according to access type, resource being accessed, a specified number of successful accesses, or by time. In one embodiment, wireless access device  200  includes internal logic for determining resource sharing permissions and resource access that may be given to another device such as the PDA or cell phone  22 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 8 , wireless access device  200  communicates with a remote device such as group manager portal  14  by engaging in sharing related communications such as resource sharing communications  222  to determine sharing permissions and access that may be given to another device. Alternatively, cell phone  22  may communicate with group manager portal  14  in resource sharing communications  222  to determine access permissions for accessing resources of wireless access device  200 . Resource sharing communications  212  and  222  may be by a direct wired or tethered connection or by a wireless communication using any known wireless communication protocol and can specifically include communications over a plurality of packet data networks and cellular and other telephone networks. 
     In an embodiment in which group manager portal  14  or another device makes such resource sharing determinations, such logic may be a part of the logic that makes media access and service sharing determinations. Thus, for a particular group, the group manager portal  14  determines what media or services may be shared, what resources may be shared, and/or any limitations by resource, media, service, time or count. It should also be noted that the group access logic for making such determinations may define groups that are temporary or that have long lasting or permanent associations with each other until such associations are modified. 
     API  210  includes computer instructions to enable wireless access device  200  to engage in resource sharing communications  212  with cell phone  22  and other devices to establish resource sharing which is allowed according to resource sharing logic stored within or specified by a remote device such as group manager portal  14 . The resource sharing communications  214  include receiving a request to share a hardware resource from another group member, transmitting display information to the other group member that define hardware resource sharing options, receiving a response from the other group member, and operating according to commands received from the other group member. The display information that wireless access device  200  is operable to transmit includes any one of a graphical user interface type of transmission or even text characters that correspond to the resource sharing options. 
     Optionally, API  210  includes a buffering/protocol converter  214  that is similar in operation and logic to buffering/protocol converter  164  of  FIG. 7 . The buffering and protocol converter block  214  is operable to buffer shared media, content, or data received on a first communications interface (e.g., interface  206   a ) until transmitted on a second communications interface (e.g., interface  206   b ). Buffering and protocol converter block  214  is further operable to, based on capabilities of at least one group member device that is to receive the shared media, convert a format or protocol used to deliver the media content to a format or protocol that is compatible with the capabilities of the group member device(s) that will receive the media content. 
     For example, if the media content audio files received over the first communication interface  206   a  is in a first format, but is required to be delivered in a second format,  200  may convert the media content to the appropriate protocol. To illustrate, if wireless access device  200  is an iTunes™ capable  device that communicates with a media source that delivers audio files in an AAC format, but the requesting group member device requires MP3 format audio files, block  214  is operable to buffer, if necessary, and to convert the audio files to MP3 format prior to transmitting the shared media to the group member device requesting the shared media content. 
     Wireless access device  200  further includes group operations logic  216  that defines group operations according to the various embodiments for accessing and sharing shared media based on a group association. Group operations logic  216  not only defines logic for group related access of group member devices as disclosed herein, but also could define logic for hardware resource sharing between group members. For example, group operations logic  216  could include resource sharing access logic that evaluates group associations to determine whether resource sharing is permitted with the other device requesting resource sharing. Such evaluation occurs prior to API  210  engaging in resource sharing communications  212  so that only group members are allowed to share hardware resources. 
     Additionally, a group shared access content storage  218  for storing shared media that may be accessed by group member devices is included. Finally, wireless access device  200  includes a content list  220  for tracking content on each of the group member devices. Content list  220  is included in at least one embodiment in which the wireless access device is a primary group member having account access and control rights as discussed previously in relation to cell phone  22 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a method for creating and managing group access to shared media that includes associating a plurality of group member devices to a group ( 250 ) and 
     storing access permissions for accessing shared media for at least one the plurality of group member devices ( 252 ). The stored access permissions define access permissions for the group member devices for sharing at least one of services, media or device resources. The method further includes, in one embodiment, identifying shared media stored upon the group member devices ( 254 ). The step of identifying the shared media comprises at least one of communicating with group member devices to determine what shared media content is stored on the group member devices (that may be shared with other group member devices) and maintaining a list of shared media content that is transmitted to or downloaded by the group member devices. Based on stored digital rights management requirements for group access to shared media, the method further includes authorizing access to the shared media by at least one of the group member devices ( 256 ) and communicating with at least one group member device to facilitate access to the shared media ( 258 ) or to a service or resource. 
     The step of communicating with at least one group member device to facilitate access to the shared media, service or resource may include receiving and forwarding the shared media to one of the plurality of group member devices ( 260 ) when media is being shared. This step optionally includes receiving the shared media from a shared media source ( 262 ) or uploading the shared media from a group member ( 264 ). For example, if a first group member requests the shared media, the method includes uploading the shared media from a second group member for delivery to the first group member. 
       FIG. 10  is a flowchart that illustrates a method for delivering media content to one group member device through another according to one embodiment of the invention. The method includes a group manager portal  14  receiving a content request message from a first group member device for shared media for second group member device ( 270 ) and determining the second group member device is authorized to access the shared media ( 272 ). Thereafter, the method includes transmitting an access authorization ( 274 ) to enable either one of the first and second group member devices to access or download shared media from a media source or from another group member device for the second group member device. The method can include, for example, authorizing the first group member device to access and subsequently deliver the shared media to the second group member device ( 276 ). An alternate method includes, instead of step  276 , delivering the shared media to the first group member device ( 278 ) to enable the first group member device to deliver the shared media to the second group member device. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a method by a handheld first group member device operable to access shared media based on a group association that includes a plurality of group member devices according to one embodiment of the invention. The method includes receiving a first content request message from another group member device ( 280 ) and transmitting a second content request message to a group manager portal to determine that the second group member device is authorized to access the shared media ( 282 ). This step can include additional steps of and communicating with the group manager portal to determine authorization. Thereafter, the method includes receiving a request from the group manager portal to upload the shared media content ( 284 ) and then uploading the shared media to the other group member device or to the group manager portal ( 286 ). 
     The handheld group member device receive a request from the group manager portal to upload the shared media content to the group manager portal for delivery to the second group member device in step  284  thus requiring the media to be uploaded to the group manager portal. Alternately, the handheld group member device may receive a request from the group manager portal to upload the shared media content directly to the other group member device in step  284  in which case the handheld group member uploads (transmits) the shared media to the other group member device. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a method by a handheld group member device operable to deliver shared media based on a group association that includes a plurality of group member devices according to one embodiment of the invention. The method includes receiving a first content request message from another group member device ( 290 ) and transmitting a second content request message to a group manager portal. Thereafter, the method includes downloading the requested shared media on a first communication channel from the group manager portal or a media source and transmitting the shared media to the second device on a second communication channel ( 292 ). It should be noted that the “other media source” could include another group member device. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a method by a group member device operable to deliver shared media based on a group association that includes a plurality of group member devices according to an alternate embodiment of the invention. The method includes receiving a first content request message from another group member device ( 300 ) and transmitting a second content request message to a group manager portal. Thereafter, the method includes receiving authorization from the group manager portal to transmit previously stored shared media to the other group member device ( 302 ). 
     After receiving authorization, the method can include, optionally, receiving and forwarding access information to the second group member device ( 304 ). The access information may include either an authorization code or number or an encryption key for decrypting all or at least a portion of the shared media content. Alternately, the method can include at least partially decrypting the shared media ( 306 ). Finally, the method includes transmitting the shared media to the other group member device based an authorization received from the group manager portal ( 308 ). In this embodiment, the handheld group member device performing the method steps of  FIG. 13  had previously received and stored the shared media and is therefore sharing the stored media upon receiving authorization from the group manager portal. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates a method by a group member device for accessing shared media based on a group association that includes a plurality of group member devices according to an embodiment of the invention. The method includes receiving a content list from a group manager portal that identifies content stored on each of a plurality of group member devices ( 310 ) and transmitting a content request message to the group manager portal to request shared media identified on the content list ( 312 ). Thereafter, the method includes downloading the requested shared media from one of the group manager portal or the second group member device ( 314 ). It should be understood that additional communications to allow the group manager portal and/or media server to validate the access to the shared media based on a group association could be included herein. The specific nature of such communications may be any of the described embodiments of such messaging and logic described above. 
       FIG. 15  is a signal sequence diagram that illustrates operation for resource sharing according to one embodiment of the invention. A network  350  includes a first device  352 , a wireless second device  354 , a group manager portal  356  and a service provider  358  that are operably disposed to communicate through wired or wireless communication paths and/or networks. 
     First device  352  typically is a wireless communication device but is also capable of communicating through a wired connection such as a so called tether. First device  352  may be one that is not a wireless capable device that can only communicate through wired connections. Wireless second device  354  is capable of supporting both wired and wireless communications by way of short distance wireless communications (e.g., personal area network communications), longer distance wireless communications (e.g., wireless local area networks, cellular networks, satellite networks), and wired communications over the various known wired and wireless networks. Group manager portal  356  service provider  358  is similar to group manager portals that were previously described. Service provider  358  can be any type of network service provider including but not limited to media servers that provide media related services. Other exemplary service include data services, device testing, maintenance and repair services, scheduling services, etc. 
     Portal  356  engages in grouping related communications  360  with at least one of devices  352  and  354  to establish a group or association between the two devices. Thereafter, wireless second device  354  sends at least one of a hardware and/or software resource identification message  362  and a media content identification message  364  to device  352 . Messages  362  and  364  identify content, services and/or resources that device  352  may access. For example, the resources can include processing resources, communication resources, data storage resources, video processing resources, account management related resources, etc. The account management related resources can include software and/or stored account access information, logic, data and protocols. 
     Thereafter, first device  352  transmits a resource request message  366  to wireless second device  354 . Wireless second device  354  then transmits a sharing request message  368  to portal  356  to determine if first device  352  is allowed to access or share services, media or resources as identified in sharing request message  366 . If media or other content is identified in message  366 , such media or content may be stored within wireless second device  354  or in another group member device. The sharing request may also be for a hardware or software resource of wireless second device  354  or a request to access streaming media or to request to a service (e.g., a shared service). Portal  356  transmits, in response to receiving sharing request message  368 , an access permission message  370  to wireless second device  354  granting or denying access. The access that is granted may be limited in any manner including a number of access times, a duration that access is allowed, or a definition or identification of which resources may be accessed wherein the identification of allowed access may be less than that which was requested in message  366 . 
     Wireless second device  354  then sends access permission message  372  to first device  352  that corresponds to message  370 . Thereafter, as appropriate according to the type of access being requested, wireless second device  354  engages in access related communications  374  with first device  352  to support the access. These communications can include wireless second device  354  generating display signals or options for first device  352  to allow a user of first device  352  to generate selected responses. If, for example, first device  352  has limited graphing capabilities, wireless second device  354  may generate display signals to prompt first device  352  to generate corresponding displays. Thus, first device  352  then generates resource access/control signals  376  that correspond to the allowed access. If such access includes, for example, using hardware or software resources of wireless second device  354  to communicate with a service provider  358 , wireless second device  354  engages in access communications  378  with service provider  358  to support the permitted or authorized access using the hardware of software resources of wireless second device  354 . 
     In one embodiment, wireless second device  354  includes cellular communication hardware and software which is used to support communications  378  according to access control signals  370 . In another embodiment, wireless second device  354  includes application and account related software and data that is required to establish access communications  378 . Accordingly, first device  352  uses such application and accounted related software and data to communicate with and access the services of service provider  358 . 
     As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, the term “substantially” or “approximately”, as may be used herein, provides an industry-accepted tolerance to its corresponding term and/or relativity between items. Such an industry-accepted tolerance ranges from less than one percent to twenty percent and corresponds to, but is not limited to, component values, integrated circuit process variations, temperature variations, rise and fall times, and/or thermal noise. Such relativity between items ranges from a difference of a few percent to magnitude differences. As one of ordinary skill in the art will further appreciate, the term “operably coupled”, as may be used herein, includes direct coupling and indirect coupling via another component, element, circuit, or module where, for indirect coupling, the intervening component, element, circuit, or module does not modify the information of a signal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/or power level. Moreover, the term “operable to” requires a device to include logic, circuitry, or computer instructions stored in memory or other structure that facilitates the functionality associated with such language. As one of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate, inferred coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another element by inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between two elements in the same manner as “operably coupled”. 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. As may be seen, the described embodiments may be modified in many different ways without departing from the scope or teachings of the invention.