Patent ID: 7594007

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: identifying a plurality of networked devices included in an extended service set (ESS) mesh network, the ESS mesh network to further include a mesh node comprising a wireless access point; discovering a plurality of distributed services, each of the plurality of distributed services available from one of the plurality of networked devices for use within the ESS mesh network, wherein discovering is based on listening for advertisements for each of the plurality of distributed services discovered, discovering to further include identifying a control rule associated with each respective distributed service, and an identifier of the networked device where the respective distributed service is available; associating the plurality of distributed services in a group of distributed services; generating a virtual device to include the group of distributed services to provide a single point of control for the group of distributed services, the virtual device included in the mesh node of the ESS mesh network, and the virtual device coupled to a storage device to store the control rules associated with each respective distributed service and the identifier of the networked device where the respective distributed service is available; receiving a control for the group of distributed services at the virtual device; and distributing the control to each distributed service associated with the group of distributed services, wherein distributing the control to each distributed service is based on the control rule associated with each respective distributed service and the identifier of the networked device where the respective distributed service is available.