Social networking grouping hierarchy

Abstract

A social networking environment enables interaction between social networking (SNET) groups. Some interactions between SNET groups can include docking various SNET groups based upon interactions between a member and some part of a social network. Various hierarchies of social networking infrastructure can enable hierarchical interactions between social devices, SNET groups, and other elements associated with various social networking infrastructures. Capabilities provided by various elements in various SNET infrastructures can be docked to create combined SNET groups, and capabilities provided by an SNET group can be accessed via interaction with a representative view of the capabilities. Various interactions can be managed based upon inputs, trigger events, authorizations, and the like provided by various processing systems, devices, members, or the like. Various interactions can enable members associated with an SNET infrastructure to access capabilities provided by an SNET group via a docked SNET group.

1 . Social networking (SNET) processing circuitry to support interactions between SNET groups, the SNET processing circuitry configured to:
 dock a first SNET group with a second SNET group, the first SNET group including a first infrastructure that provides first resources, and the second SNET group including a second infrastructure; and   provide access, for a device that is docked with the second SNET group, to a resource of the first resources provided by the first SNET group.   
     
     
         2 . The SNET processing circuitry of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first resources provided by the first infrastructure are global resources,   the first infrastructure is associated with a plurality of local infrastructures that provide local resources,   the second infrastructure is one or more of the plurality of local infrastructures; and   the first SNET group is docked with the second SNET group to provide a combination of global and local resources to the device that is docked with the second SNET group.   
     
     
         3 . The SNET processing circuitry of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the local resources is associated with a premises, and wherein the SNET processing circuitry is further configured to alter access to the at least one of the local resources in response to a trigger event associated with the premises. 
     
     
         4 . The SNET processing circuitry of  claim 1 , further configured to:
 dock the first SNET group with the second SNET group according to a docking specification included in the first SNET group.   
     
     
         5 . The SNET processing circuitry of  claim 4 , further configured to initiate docking based, at least in part, on an event completion trigger. 
     
     
         6 . The SNET processing circuitry of  claim 4 , further configured to undock the first SNET group from the second SNET group based, at least in part, on an event completion trigger. 
     
     
         7 . The SNET processing circuitry of  claim 1 , wherein the first SNET group and the second SNET group are assigned to different tiers of an SNET grouping hierarchy. 
     
     
         8 . A method of supporting interactions between SNET groups, the method comprising:
 docking a first SNET group with a second SNET group, the first SNET group including a first infrastructure that provides first resources, and the second SNET group including a second infrastructure; and   providing access, for a device that is docked with the second SNET group, to a resource of the first resources provided by the first SNET group.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first resources provided by the first infrastructure are global resources;   the first infrastructure is associated with a plurality of local infrastructures that provide local resources;   the second infrastructure is one or more of the plurality of local infrastructures; and   providing a combination of global and local resources to the device that is docked with the second SNET group.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the local resources is associated with a premises, and wherein the SNET processing circuitry is further configured to alter access to the at least one of the local resources in response to a trigger event associated with the premises. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 controlling the docking of the first SNET group with the second SNET group based on a docking specification included in the first SNET group.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 initiating the docking based, at least in part, on an event completion trigger.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 undocking the first SNET group from the second SNET group based, at least in part, on an event completion trigger.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first SNET group is assigned to higher tier of an SNET grouping hierarchy relative to the second SNET group. 
     
     
         15 . A social network (SNET) device that supports interactions between SNET groups, the SNET device comprising:
 processing circuitry configured to:
 dock a first SNET group with a second SNET group, the first SNET group including a first infrastructure that provides first resources, and the second SNET group including a second infrastructure; and 
 provide access, for a device that is docked with the second SNET group, to a resource of the first resources provided by the first SNET group. 
   
     
     
         16 . The SNET device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first resources provided by the first infrastructure are global resources;   the first infrastructure is associated with a plurality of local infrastructures that provide local resources;   the second infrastructure is one or more of the plurality of local infrastructures; and   docking the first SNET group with the second SNET provides a combination of global and local resources to the device that is docked with the second SNET group.   
     
     
         17 . The SNET device of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the local resources is associated with a premises, and wherein the SNET processing circuitry is further configured to alter access to the at least one of the local resources in response to a trigger event associated with the premises. 
     
     
         18 . The SNET device of  claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 dock the first SNET group with the second SNET group according to a docking specification included in the first SNET group.   
     
     
         19 . The SNET device of  claim 18 , further configured to initiate docking based, at least in part, on an event completion trigger. 
     
     
         20 . The SNET device of  claim 18 , further configured to undock the first SNET group from the second SNET group based, at least in part, on an event completion trigger.