PROXIMITY-BASED USER INTERACTION
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for a central server computing system to provide functionality based on location-based virtual groups of users of mobile devices, the method comprising:
- creating multiple temporary location-based virtual groups of users of mobile devices by, for each of the virtual groups, receiving information from a user to define the virtual group, the received information including an anchor point with a geographic location around which a geographic area of the virtual group is centered, termination criteria indicating when the temporary virtual group will end, and user interaction rules that specify types of actions that users who are part of the virtual group may take;
receiving requests from multiple users to join the virtual group, each of the users having a mobile communication-capable device that provides information regarding a current geographic location of the user; and
for each of the received requests from the multiple users, determining whether to admit the user to the virtual group based at least in part on the current geographic location of the user being within the geographic area of the virtual group; and
for each of the created virtual groups of users, automatically providing functionality to the users of the virtual group in accordance with the user interaction rules of the virtual group based at least in part on enabling communications between the mobile communication-capable devices of the users of the virtual group.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are described for providing location-based information and functionality to people and computing devices in various ways. In at least some situations, the techniques include enabling multiple people in a common geographic area to interact in various ways, such as via devices capable of communications (e.g., cellular telephones, computing devices with wired and/or wireless communications capabilities, etc.). In addition, the techniques include enabling the creation and maintenance of location-based virtual groups of users (also referred to as “clouds”), such as for users of mobile and/or fixed-location devices. Such clouds may enable various types of interactions between group members, and may be temporary and/or mobile.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for a central server computing system to provide functionality based on location-based virtual groups of users of mobile devices, the method comprising:
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creating multiple temporary location-based virtual groups of users of mobile devices by, for each of the virtual groups, receiving information from a user to define the virtual group, the received information including an anchor point with a geographic location around which a geographic area of the virtual group is centered, termination criteria indicating when the temporary virtual group will end, and user interaction rules that specify types of actions that users who are part of the virtual group may take;
receiving requests from multiple users to join the virtual group, each of the users having a mobile communication-capable device that provides information regarding a current geographic location of the user; and
for each of the received requests from the multiple users, determining whether to admit the user to the virtual group based at least in part on the current geographic location of the user being within the geographic area of the virtual group; and
for each of the created virtual groups of users, automatically providing functionality to the users of the virtual group in accordance with the user interaction rules of the virtual group based at least in part on enabling communications between the mobile communication-capable devices of the users of the virtual group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-implemented method for providing functionality based on location-based virtual groups of users, the method comprising:
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receiving definition information for a location-based virtual group of users that indicates a geographic area of the virtual group and one or more user interaction rules regarding allowed types of user actions;
selecting multiple users to participate in the virtual group based at least in part on geographic locations of the users, each of the users having a mobile communication-capable device that provides information regarding the geographic location of the user; and
automatically enabling communications between the mobile communication-capable devices of the users of the virtual group in accordance with the user interaction rules of the virtual group. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A computer-readable medium whose contents enable a computing device to provide functionality for a location-based virtual group, by performing a method comprising:
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receiving an indication of a location-based virtual group that has an associated geographic area and one or more interaction rules related to allowed activities; and
automatically facilitating interactions between communication-capable devices of users whose geographic locations are within the geographic area of the virtual group in accordance with the interaction rules of the virtual group. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A computing device configured to provide functionality based on a location-based virtual group of users, comprising:
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a memory; and
a first component configured to, for each of one or more location-based virtual groups that each have an associated geographic area and one or more interaction rules related to allowed activities;
initiate participation in the virtual group on behalf of a user of the computing device, the initiating including providing information for use in determining a geographic location of the computing device; and
participate in the virtual group on behalf of the user in accordance with the one or more interaction rules for the virtual group, the participating including sending one or more communications to devices of one or more other users in the virtual group and/or receiving one or more communications from devices of one or more other users in the virtual group. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification