Method and apparatus for leveraging overlapping group areas

Abstract

An approach is provided for determining a group of users based on the overlapping area of two or more existing groups and providing services and/or content to the group based on the services and content of the existing groups. An interaction platform determines shapes of groups based, at least in part, on location information associated with one or more member devices of the groups. The interaction platform causes, at least in part, a presentation of one or more representations of the shapes in a location-based user interface. The interaction platform determines one or more applications, one or more content items, or a combination thereof being used at the one or more member devices. The interaction platform causes, at least in part, a presentation of one or more other representations of the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof in the location-based user interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining one or more groups based, at least in part, on location information associated with one or more member devices of the one or more groups;   determining one or more applications, one or more content items, or a combination thereof being used at the one or more member devices;   processing an overlapping area, the overlapping area between at a first one of the one or more groups and at least a second one of the one or more groups;   determining an availability of the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof, to a new device entering the overlapping area; and   presenting one or more other representations of the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof, based on the determination of the availability, in a location-based user interface of the new device.   
     
     
         2 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof are collaborative, and further comprising:
 presenting of information for participating in a collaborative use of the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining at least a third one of the one or more groups based, at least in part, on the overlapping area; and   making available to the at least a third one of the one or more groups one or more combined applications, one or more combined content items, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining at least one plurality of one or more gestures associated with the one or more member devices based, at least in part, on one or more sensors associated with the one or more member devices, user input, or a combination thereof; and   making available or unavailable to the new device the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the plurality of the one or more gestures.   
     
     
         5 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 presenting one or more large-scale media items based, at least in part, on at least one coordination of the one or more member devices.   
     
     
         6 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the one or more groups based, at least in part, on one or more physically collocated groups, one or more virtual groups, one or more groups of groups, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         7 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 hiding one or more radios associated with the one or more member devices from the new device based, at least in part, on a determination to make the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof unavailable to the new device.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
 determine one or more groups based, at least in part, on location information associated with one or more member devices of the one or more groups; 
 determine one or more applications, one or more content items, or a combination thereof being used at the one or more member devices; 
 process an overlapping area, the overlapping area between at a first one of the one or more groups and at least a second one of the one or more groups; 
 determine an availability of the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof, to a new device entering the overlapping area; and 
 present one or more other representations of the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof, based on the determination of the availability, in a location-based user interface of the new device. 
   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof are collaborative, and wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 present of information for participating in a collaborative use of the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 determine at least a third one of the one or more groups based, at least in part, on the overlapping area; and   make available to the at least a third one of the one or more groups one or more combined applications, one or more combined content items, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 determine at least one plurality of one or more gestures associated with the one or more member devices based, at least in part, on one or more sensors associated with the one or more member devices, user input, or a combination thereof; and   make available or unavailable to the new device the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the plurality of the one or more gestures.   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 present one or more large-scale media items based, at least in part, on at least one coordination of the one or more member devices.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 determine the one or more groups based, at least in part, on one or more physically collocated groups, one or more virtual groups, one or more groups of groups, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 hide one or more radios associated with the one or more member devices from the new device based, at least in part, on a determination to make the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof unavailable to the new device.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to perform at least:
 determining one or more groups based, at least in part, on location information associated with one or more member devices of the one or more groups;   determining one or more applications, one or more content items, or a combination thereof being used at the one or more member devices;   processing an overlapping area, the overlapping area between at a first one of the one or more groups and at least a second one of the one or more groups;   determining an availability of the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof, to a new device entering the overlapping area; and   presenting one or more other representations of the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof, based on the determination of the availability, in a location-based user interface of the new device.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof are collaborative, and wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
 presenting of information for participating in a collaborative use of the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
 determining at least a third one of the one or more groups based, at least in part, on the overlapping area; and   making available to the at least a third one of the one or more groups one or more combined applications, one or more combined content items, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
 determining at least one plurality of one or more gestures associated with the one or more member devices based, at least in part, on one or more sensors associated with the one or more member devices, user input, or a combination thereof; and   making available or unavailable to the new device the one or more applications, the one or more content items, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the plurality of the one or more gestures.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
 presenting one or more large-scale media items based, at least in part, on at least one coordination of the one or more member devices.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
 determining the one or more groups based, at least in part, on one or more physically collocated groups, one or more virtual groups, one or more groups of groups, or a combination thereof.