Methods and systems for following crowds

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a crowd selection of a requestor that identifies a first crowd of users selected by the requestor;   obtaining status updates sent by one or more users from the first crowd of users after the one or more users have left the first crowd of users; and   sending the status updates sent by the one or more users from the first crowd of users to the requestor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 obtaining the status updates sent by the one or more users from the first crowd of users after the one or more users have left the first crowd of users comprises obtaining status updates sent by users, including the one or more users, in one or more second crowds of users in which the one or more users from the first crowd of users are located after the one or more users have left the first crowd of users; and 
 sending the status updates sent by the one or more users from the first crowd of users to the requestor comprises sending the status updates sent by the users in the one or more second crowds of users to the requestor. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 recording a list of users currently in the first crowd of users in response to receiving the crowd selection of the requestor; and 
 automatically recording the requestor as a follower of the one or more second crowds of users, wherein the one or more second crowds of users are one or more crowds in which users in the list of users recorded for the first crowd of users are located after the users have left the first crowd of users. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein automatically recording the requestor as a follower of the one or more second crowds of users comprises:
 detecting that a user from the list of users recorded for the first crowd of users is located in a new crowd; and 
 recording the requestor as a follower of the new crowd in response to detecting that the user from the list of users is located in the new crowd. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising automatically removing the requestor as a follower of the new crowd after no users from the list of users recorded for the first crowd of users remain in the new crowd. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein automatically recording the requestor as a follower of the one or more second crowds of users comprises:
 detecting when at least a predefined threshold number of users from the list of users recorded for the first crowd of users are located in a new crowd; and 
 recording the requestor as a follower of the new crowd in response to detecting that at least the predefined threshold number of users from the list of users recorded for the first crowd of users are located in the new crowd. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising automatically removing the requestor as a follower of the new crowd after less than the at least the predefined threshold number of users from the list of users recorded for the first crowd of users remain in the new crowd. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 recording a list of users currently in the first crowd of users in response to receiving the crowd selection of the requestor; 
 subsequently receiving a status update request from the requestor; and 
 in response to receiving the status update request from the requestor, identifying one or more crowds of users, other than the first crowd of users, in which users from the list of users are currently located as the one or more second crowds of users; 
 wherein obtaining the status updates sent by the users in the one or more second crowds of users and sending the status updates sent by the users in the one or more second crowds of users are in response to receiving the status update request from the requestor and identifying the one or more crowds of users, other than the first crowd of users, in which users from the list of users are currently located as the one or more second crowds of users. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising detecting the one or more second crowds of users as one or more crowds of users that split from the first crowd of users subsequent to receiving the crowd selection of the requestor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the one or more second crowds of users are one or more crowds of users, other than the first crowd of users, in which one or more users from the first crowd of users are located after the one or more users have left the first crowd of users and that are located within a predefined geographic region. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the predefined geographic region is a predefined geographic region that encompasses a location of the first crowd of users at a time of receiving the crowd selection of the requestor. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the predefined geographic region is a predefined geographic region that encompasses a current location of the first crowd of users. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising limiting the steps of obtaining the status updates and sending the status updates to the requestor to a predefined amount of time. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2  wherein obtaining the status updates sent by the users in the one or more second crowds of users and sending the status updates to the requestor are performed while the first crowd of users still exists. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 2  wherein obtaining the status updates sent by the users in the one or more second crowds of users and sending the status updates to the requestor are performed only after all of the users in the first crowd of users have dispersed such that the first crowd of users no longer exists. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first crowd of users is a first group of spatially proximate users, and each of the one or more second crowds of users is a corresponding group of spatially proximate users. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein obtaining the status updates and sending the status updates are subject to one or more geographic limitations. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein sending the status updates to the requestor is subject to one or more time limitations. 
     
     
         19 . A computing device comprising:
 a communication interface adapted to communicatively couple the computing device to a network; and   a controller associated with the communication interface adapted to:
 receive, via the communication interface, a crowd selection of a requestor that identifies a first crowd of users selected by the requestor; 
 obtain status updates sent by one or more users from the first crowd of users after the one or more users have left the first crowd of users; and 
 send, via the communication interface, the status updates sent by the one or more users from the first crowd of users to the requestor. 
   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software for instructing a controller of a computing device to:
 receive a crowd selection of a requestor that identifies a first crowd of users selected by the requestor;   obtain status updates sent by one or more users from the first crowd of users after the one or more users have left the first crowd of users; and   send the status updates sent by the one or more users from the first crowd of users to the requestor.   
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a user selection made by a requestor that identifies a select user selected by the requestor;   identifying a first crowd of users in which the select user is located;   recording the requestor as a follower of the first crowd of users;   obtaining status updates sent by users in the first crowd of users;   sending the status updates sent by the users in the first crowd of users to the requestor as a follower of the first crowd of users;   identifying a second crowd of users in which the select user is located after the select user has left the first crowd of users;   recording the requestor as a follower of the second crowd of users;   obtaining status updates sent by users in the second crowd of users; and   sending the status updates sent by the users in the second crowd of users to the requestor as a follower of the second crowd of users.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising:
 detecting that the select user has left the first crowd of users; and 
 removing the requestor as a follower of the first crowd of users in response to detecting that the select user has left the first crowd of users. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the first crowd of users is a first group of spatially proximate users, and each of the one or more second crowds of users is a corresponding group of spatially proximate users. 
     
     
         24 . A computing device comprising:
 a communication interface adapted to communicatively couple the computing device to a network; and   a controller associated with the communication interface adapted to:
 receive, via the communication interface, a user selection made by a requestor that identifies a select user selected by the requestor; 
 identify a first crowd of users in which the select user is located; 
 record the requestor as a follower of the first crowd of users; 
 obtain status updates sent by users in the first crowd of users; 
 send, via the communication interface, the status updates sent by the users in the first crowd of users to the requestor as a follower of the first crowd of users; 
 identify a second crowd of users in which the select user is located after the select user has left the first crowd of users; 
 record the requestor as a follower of the second crowd of users; 
 obtain status updates sent by users in the second crowd of users; and 
 send, via the communication interface, the status updates sent by the users in the second crowd of users to the requestor as a follower of the second crowd of users.