Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring hashtags in micro-blog posts, or status updates, from users to provide one or more crowd-based features. In one embodiment, a micro-blog post of a user in a crowd of users is obtained. The crowd of users is a group of users within a predefined spatial proximity to one another. A hashtag in the micro-blog post is then obtained, and a crowd-based feature is provided based on the hashtag.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for maintaining a historical record of anonymized user profile data for mobile device users. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations and user profiles for users of mobile devices. The central system processes the current locations and the user profiles of the users over time to maintain a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location. By anonymizing the user data, privacy of the users of the mobile devices is maintained. The central system may then use the historical record of anonymized user profile data to respond to historical requests. The historical requests may be made by users of the mobile devices, subscribers, and/or third party services.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring hashtags in micro-blog posts, or status updates, from users to provide one or more crowd-based features. In one embodiment, a micro-blog post of a user in a crowd of users is obtained. The crowd of users is a group of users within a predefined spatial proximity to one another. A hashtag in the micro-blog post is then obtained, and a crowd-based feature is provided based on the hashtag.

Abstract: Contiguous location based user networks are disclosed herein. A method includes receiving an identification of an area of interest associated with a user of, and transmitting the identification of the area of interest to a server. The method includes determining a location of the user device and transmitting the location to the server. The method includes receiving information identifying a proximity group comprising the user and a plurality of other users. The proximity group includes least one other user being within a proximate area of the location of the user device and having an area of interest corresponding to the area of interest of the user. The proximate area corresponds to a second geographic region smaller than the area of interest. The proximity group further comprising at least one additional other user identified as a neighbor of each of the user and the at least one other user.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for maintaining a historical record of anonymized user profile data for mobile device users. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations and user profiles for users of mobile devices. The central system processes the current locations and the user profiles of the users over time to maintain a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location. By anonymizing the user data, privacy of the users of the mobile devices is maintained. The central system may then use the historical record of anonymized user profile data to respond to historical requests. The historical requests may be made by users of the mobile devices, subscribers, and/or third-party services.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for creating location-based user networks. In general, a proximity group including a number of users is identified. Each user in the proximity group is within a proximate area of at least one other user in the proximity group and has an area of interest. The areas of interest of the users in the proximity group are aggregated to provide an aggregate area of interest for the proximity group. Other users within the aggregate area of interest are identified as neighbors of each of the users in the proximity group. Once the neighbors are identified, each of the users in the proximity group may use the neighbors as members, or potential members, for a user network.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for processing a request for crowd data for a large geographic area. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations for users of mobile devices and form crowds of three or more users based on the current locations of the users. In order to provide access to crowd data for crowds for a large geographic area, the central system receives a request for crowd data from a requesting device, establishes a bounding region for the request, and identifies one or more starting points within the bounding region for the request. Crowds are identified, crowd data for the crowds is generated, and the crowd data is returned to the requesting device in an iterative manner for a series of two or more outwardly radiating, concentric geographic regions centered at the one or more starting points.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for processing a request for crowd data for a large geographic area. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations for users of mobile devices and form crowds of three or more users based on the current locations of the users. In order to provide access to crowd data for crowds for a large geographic area, the central system receives a request for crowd data from a requesting device, establishes a bounding region for the request, and identifies one or more starting points within the bounding region for the request. Crowds are identified, crowd data for the crowds is generated, and the crowd data is returned to the requesting device in an iterative manner for a series of two or more outwardly radiating, concentric geographic regions centered at the one or more starting points.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing an accessor with access to an accessed device through a network. In one embodiment, location-based access control rights of the accessor to the accessed device are obtained. The location-based access control rights define at least one location criterion such that access rights are to be granted to the accessor for the accessed device when a location of the accessor complies with one or more of the at least one location criterion. Upon determining that the location of the accessor device complies with the at least one location criterion, the accessor device of the accessor is granted access to the accessed device through the network. In this manner, an administrator of the accessed device can regulate from where the accessor can access the accessor device.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing location-based wagering. In one embodiment, wagerable data associated with a location of a first user is identified. The wagerable data may be any type of data on which a wager may be based. Then, a wager recommendation is generated based on the wagerable data and returned to the first user. The first user defines a wager, and the wager is published to one or more second users located in proximity to the first user. Each of the one or more second users is enabled to accept the wager if desired. In addition, one or more winners and one or more losers of the wager may be identified and payout may then be effected.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking crowds of users are provided. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations for users of mobile devices. Based on the current locations of the users, the central system forms crowds of users. As a result of movement of the users and corresponding location updates, the crowds move and change over time. In order to track at least some of the crowds, crowd snapshots for those crowds are created over time and stored. The crowd snapshots preferably maintain anonymity of the users in the crowd at the time the crowd snapshots are created. Thereafter, the crowd snapshots may be used to generate crowd tracking data for select crowds.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for generating and managing communication rules associated with geographic locations. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include storing a communication rule associated with a geographic location and a user. The method also includes receiving a communication identifying the geographic location. Further, the method includes applying the communication rule for routing the communication to the user.

Abstract: A media broker includes a communication interface communicatively coupling the media broker to one or more media storage devices and one or more renderers and a controller associated with the communication interface adapted to transmit a request for location information to one or more renderers, receive location information from each of the one or more renderers and determine, based upon the received location information, one or more viewing areas each comprising at least one of the one or more renderers. And then applying the media restrictions assigned to the renderers in those viewing areas, while still allowing media storage devices detected in any viewing area to record media of any rating.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for creating location-based user networks. In general, a proximity group including a number of users is identified. Each user in the proximity group is within a proximate area of at least one other user in the proximity group and has an area of interest. The areas of interest of the users in the proximity group are aggregated to provide an aggregate area of interest for the proximity group. Other users within the aggregate area of interest are identified as neighbors of each of the users in the proximity group. Once the neighbors are identified, each of the users in the proximity group may use the neighbors as members, or potential members, for a user network.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for representing a reference item and a number of items of interest. In one embodiment, each item of interest is assigned to one of a number of concentric regions in a two-dimensional space based on one or more attributes of the item of interest. The concentric regions in the two-dimensional space are centered at a location in the two-dimensional space that corresponds to the reference item. A GUI is then generated such that the GUI includes concentric display regions that correspond to the concentric regions in the two-dimensional space, where a select concentric display region provides an expanded view of the items of interest located within the corresponding region in the two-dimensional space and the remaining concentric display region(s) provide collapsed view(s) of the items of interest in the corresponding region(s) of the two-dimensional space.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring hashtags in micro-blog posts, or status updates, from users to provide one or more crowd-based features. In one embodiment, a micro-blog post of a user in a crowd of users is obtained. The crowd of users is a group of users within a predefined spatial proximity to one another. A hashtag in the micro-blog post is then obtained, and a crowd-based feature is provided based on the hashtag.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for forming crowds of users based on wireless contexts of corresponding mobile devices of the users. In general, wireless contexts of mobile devices of a number of users are obtained. For each mobile device, the wireless context of the mobile device includes a wireless Personal Area Network (PAN) context of the mobile device, a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) context of the mobile device, or both. The wireless contexts of the mobile devices of the users are then utilized to form crowds of users. More specifically, in one embodiment, users of mobile devices having sufficiently similar wireless contexts are determined to be in the same crowd of users.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for preventing indirect user tracking in a mobile aggregate profiling system. In general, access to aggregate profile data for groups of users is controlled in a mobile aggregate profiling system based on rate of change values for one or more characteristics, such as population, of the groups of users.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and systems for associating co-presence information with a media item comprise creating a media identification (ID) for the media item in response to a media device acquiring a media item. The media ID is broadcast to at least one peer device co-present with the media device. A transmission is received from a registered user of the peer device reporting receipt of the media record ID, and an arbitrary ID for the registered user is created. The arbitrary ID of the registered user of the peer device that reported receipt of the media record ID is then associated with the media item.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling access to sharable items. In general, a computing device of a user stores a sharable item. A sharing rule is configured for the sharable item, where the sharing rule is based on an element of aggregate profile data for a current location of the user, a crowd characteristic of one or more crowds that are currently relevant to the current location of the user, or both. Depending on the embodiment, the element of the aggregate profile data, the crowd characteristic of the one or more crowds, or both are obtained and the sharing rule for the sharable item is resolved. Sharing of the sharable item is then provided according to a result of the resolution of the sharing rule for the sharable item.