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: Systems and methods are provided for maintaining a dynamic profile slice of a user profile of a user. In one embodiment, a real-time user-generated context of the user is monitored over time to accumulate keywords in the dynamic profile slice of the user that are representative of dynamic interests of the user. Weights are assigned to the keywords in the dynamic profile slice using a time and/or location weighting function.

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 provided for obtaining status updates relevant to a segment of a media content stream for presentation during playback. In general, a status updating service collects status updates sent by users via corresponding mobile devices of the users. A media playback device of a user receives a media content stream and obtains data defining a time of capture and, in some embodiments, a location of capture of a segment of the media content stream. Either prior to or during playback of the media content stream, the media playback device obtains status updates that are relevant to the segment of the media content stream directly or indirectly from the status updating service. The media playback device then presents the relevant status updates, or at least a subset thereof, during playback of the media content stream and preferably during playback of the segment of the media content stream.

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: Systems and methods relating to a Media Collection Aggregation System (MCAS) are provided. In one embodiment, a number of nodes are connected over a Local Area Network (LAN) to provide an ad-hoc MCAS network. At least some of the nodes in the MCAS network share locally stored media collections, or select subsets thereof, with the other nodes in the MCAS network. Each node in the MCAS network selects and aggregates one or more of the shared media collections to provide an aggregate media collection for that node. One of the nodes in the MCAS network is a proxy node that provides a proxy service that enables remote participation in the MCAS network. In one embodiment, the proxy node enables one or more remote nodes to passively and/or actively participate in the MCAS network.

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 following status updates sent by users in crowds of users. In one embodiment, a requestor is enabled to follow status updates sent by users in a crowd of users even after the users have dispersed from the crowd. More specifically, in one embodiment, a requestor selects a crowd to follow. Subsequently, after one or more users have left the crowd, status updates from the users are obtained and sent to the requestor. In another embodiment, a requestor selects a crowd to follow. Subsequently, after some or all of the users in the crowd have dispersed, status updates from users in new crowds in which those users are located are obtained and sent to the requestor. In another embodiment, a requestor is enabled to follow a user such that the requestor receives status updates from crowds of users in which the user is located.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for following status updates of users. In one embodiment, a requestor selects a crowd of users. In response, one or more crowds of users that match the selected crowd of users to at least a predefined threshold degree are identified. Status updates sent by users in at least one of the one or more matching crowds of users are then delivered to the requestor. In another embodiment, a requestor selects a Point of Interest (POI). In response, one or more POIs that match the selected POI to at least a predefined threshold degree are identified. Status updates sent by users located at one or more POIs of the one or more matching POIs are delivered to the requestor.

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 distributing micro-blog posts to ad-hoc micro-blogging groups. In one embodiment, a micro-blog post of a user is obtained. A crowd in which the user is located is determined, where the crowd is a group of spatially proximate users. The micro-blog post of the user is tagged with a crowd identifier of the crowd in which the user is located such that the micro-blog post includes a crowd identifier tag. Publication of the micro-blog post including the crowd identifier tag is then effected.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for maintaining a dynamic profile slice of a user profile of a user. In one embodiment, a real-time user-generated context of the user is monitored over time to accumulate keywords in the dynamic profile slice of the user that are representative of dynamic interests of the user. Weights are assigned to the keywords in the dynamic profile slice using a time and/or location weighting function.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to forming crowds of users taking into account known physical boundaries. In general, current locations of a number of users are obtained. A crowd of users is then formed based on the current locations of the users while taking into account one or more known physical boundaries such that the crowd does not include spatially proximate users on opposite sides of the one or more known physical boundaries. By utilizing known physical boundaries in a spatial crowd formation process, users that are spatially proximate to one another but are separated by a physical boundary are not included in the same crowd. In this manner, the spatial crowd formation process provides accurate and meaningful crowd formation in environments such as, but not limited to, buildings with multiple rooms, shopping malls, or the like.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for applying a referral credit to an entity based on a geographic location of a computing device. According to an aspect, a method may include receiving a product identifier and a geographic location identifier of a computing device. The method may also include determining an interface with an online retailer server based on the product identifier. The method may also include applying a referral credit to an entity account associated with the geographic location identifier in response to the determined interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing passive crowd-sourced alternate route recommendations are disclosed. In one embodiment, locations of users of a number of mobile location-aware devices are tracked over time. Upon receiving a request, users of mobile location-aware devices that have traveled from a desired start location to a desired stop location are identified. Location histories for the identified users are analyzed to determine one or more different routes taken from the desired start location to the desired stop location. The one or more different routes, or a select subset thereof, are then returned to the requestor as recommended alternate routes.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for creating social connections. In general, a current crowd of a first user is monitored to detect if the current crowd matches an active interest of the first user. If the current crowd matches the active interest, a beacon is narrowcast to mobile devices of at least a subset of a number of other users in the current crowd of the first user. In one embodiment, the beacon is narrowcast to mobile devices of all of the other users in the current crowd. In another embodiment, the beacon is narrowcast to the mobile devices of only those other users having user profiles that include interests that match the active interest of the first user. Subsequently, a response to the beacon is received from a mobile device of a second user, and a new social connection is created between the first and second users.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing content recommendations to a user based on aggregate profile data of other users that the user is predicted to encounter in the future are disclosed. In general, an aggregate profile is obtained for a predicted encounter of a first user. The aggregate profile is based on user profiles of a number of second users identified for the predicted encounter. In one embodiment, the predicted encounter is a predicted physical encounter. In another embodiment, the predicted encounter is a predicted remote encounter. One or more content recommendations are then obtained for the first user based on the aggregate profile for the predicted encounter. The content recommendation may be, for example, a recommended movie, a recommended television program, a recommended news article, a recommended user-generated video (e.g., a recommended video on YouTube.com), or the like.

Abstract: A system and method for predicting a future location of a user are provided. In general, a prediction basis including crowd data describing crowds in which a user was included during a number of reoccurring time windows is generated. Each reoccurring time window may be, for example, a day of the week (i.e., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday), a portion of a day of the week (e.g., Monday Morning, Monday Afternoon, Monday Evening, Tuesday Evening, etc.), a day of the month (e.g., 1st day of the month), a day of the year (e.g., March 25th), or the like. The prediction basis of the user is then used to predict one or more future locations of the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for anonymously comparing user groups, such as but not limited to crowds, to determine a degree of user overlap. In general, a hash value is obtained for a first user group, where the hash value includes a hash value component for a number of two-user permutations within the first user group. Similarly, a hash value is obtained for a second user group, where the hash value includes a hash value component for a number of two-user permutations within the second user group. Thereafter, a degree of user overlap between the first and second user groups is determined based on a comparison of the hash value for the first user group and the hash value for the second user group.