Inventors:
Jeffrey Alan Holden - Chicago IL, US
Jeffrey M. Ayars - Geneva IL, US
Gregory J. Conklin - Pleasanton CA, US
Shafiq Shariff - Chicago IL, US
Nathaniel Blake Scholl - Oakland CA, US
John Kim - Sammamish WA, US
International Classification:
H04W 4/02
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.), while in other situations at least some users who are remote from a particular geographic area may be allowed to inter-communicate with one or more other users or other entities in or related to that geographic area. 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.