Range-Centric Contextual Information Systems and Methods

Software embodied in tangible computer-readable media and, when executed by a processor, operable to:

• generate a first anchor by:
• sensing a first location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location and generating a representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic;
• determining a descriptive identification of the first location;
• and
• combining the descriptive identification and the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic;
• transmit the first anchor, comprising the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, to a computer remote from the first location;
• request from the remote computer a chronotope retrieved from a database of previously generated anchors, the received chronotope indicating a logical distance between the first anchor and a second anchor, wherein the second anchor, comprising a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic, is associated with a second location distinct from the first location;
• and
• convey to a user of the mobile device information including the logical distance between the first and second anchors indicated by the received chronotope.

A computing system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory coupled to the processor;
• and
• a mobile application operable to:
• generate a first anchor by:
• sensing a first location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location and generating a representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic;
• determining a descriptive identification of the first location;
• and
• combining the descriptive identification and the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic;
• transmit the first anchor, comprising the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, to a computer remote from the first location;
• request from the remote computer a chronotope retrieved from a database of previously generated chronotopes, the received chronotope indicating a logical distance between the first anchor and a second anchor, comprising a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic, wherein the second anchor is associated with a second location distinct from the first location;
• and
• convey to a user of the mobile device information including the logical distance between the first and second anchors indicated by the received chronotope.

A computer implemented method for providing location-based services using a mobile device, the method comprising:

• receiving from a mobile device a first anchor including:
• a representation of a first location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location,
• a descriptive identification of the first location, and
• a first timestamp;
• receiving from the same mobile device a second anchor including:
• a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a second location,
• a descriptive identification of the second location, and
• a second timestamp;
• automatically generating a chronotope by linking the first anchor, comprising the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, to the second anchor, comprising a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic, and calculating the time difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp;
• and
• storing the chronotope in a database.