Patent ID: 8621098

Claim:
A method for providing media content, comprising: discovering, by a mobile device comprising a processor, a target mobile device, wherein the discovering comprises authenticating of the target mobile device on a session by session basis such that the media content is only provided to the target mobile device having a permission to receive the media content; determining, by the mobile device, whether the target mobile device is capable of supporting wireless streaming media; identifying, by the mobile device, a common protocol supported by the mobile device and the target mobile device for the supporting the wireless streaming media, wherein the common protocol is identified by selecting a fastest communication protocol that is supported by both the mobile device and the target mobile device from among a plurality of protocols that is supported by both the mobile device and the target mobile device; streaming, by the mobile device, the media content to the target mobile device, directly without communicating over an access network, if the target mobile device is determined to be capable of supporting wireless streaming media, wherein the streaming enables a portion of the media content to be viewed on the target mobile device before the entire media content is delivered to the target mobile device; and locating, by the mobile device, an intermediary media server for the target mobile device, when the target mobile device is determined to be incapable of supporting wireless streaming media, wherein the streaming is provided to the intermediary media server for outputting the media content onto the target device in a delivery method that is supported by the target mobile device, wherein the intermediary media server and the target mobile device are connected via a wire based connection.