Contiguous Location-Based User Networks

A method comprising:

• receiving an identification of an area of interest associated with a user of a user device, the area of interest corresponding to a first geographic region;
• transmitting the identification of the area of interest associated with the user to a server;
• determining a location of the user device;
• transmitting the location to the server;
• receiving information identifying a proximity group comprising the user and a plurality of other users, wherein the proximity group includes least one other user of the plurality of other users 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 corresponding to a second geographic region smaller than the area of interest, the proximity group further comprising at least one additional other user of the plurality of other users within an aggregate of the areas of interests of the user and the at least one other user and identified as a neighbor of each of the user and the at least one other user in the proximity group.

A user device comprising:

• a control system adapted to:
• receive an identification of an area of interest associated with a user of a user device, the area of interest corresponding to a first geographic region;
• a location determination component configured to identify the location of the user device;
• a communication interface for communicating with a server in communication with a plurality of other user devices via a network, the plurality of other user devices associated with a plurality of other users;
• the communication interface configured to
• transmit the identification of the area of interest associated with the user to a server;
• transmit the location to the server;
• receive information identifying a proximity group comprising the user and a plurality of other users, wherein the proximity group includes least one other user of the plurality of other users 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 corresponding to a second geographic region smaller than the area of interest, the proximity group further comprising at least one additional other user of the plurality of other users within an aggregate of the areas of interests of the user and the at least one other user and identified as a neighbor of each of the user and the at least one other user in the proximity group.

A computer readable medium storing software for instructing a user device to:

• receive an identification of an area of interest associated with a user of a user device, the area of interest corresponding to a first geographic region;
• transmit the identification of the area of interest associated with the user to a server;
• determine a location of the user device;
• transmit the location to the server;
• receive information identifying a proximity group comprising the user and a plurality of other users, wherein the proximity group includes least one other user of the plurality of other users 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 corresponding to a second geographic region smaller than the area of interest, the proximity group further comprising at least one additional other user of the plurality of other users within an aggregate of the areas of interests of the user and the at least one other user and identified as a neighbor of each of the user and the at least one other user in the proximity group.