Patent Publication Number: US-2017366932-A1

Title: Controlling access to venue-related content, applications, and services

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/585,470, filed on Dec. 30, 2014, entitled CONTROLLING ACCESS TO VENUE-RELATED CONTENT, APPLICATIONS, AND SERVICES, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosure relates generally to communication networks and, more specifically but not exclusively, to use of communication networks to control access to venue-related content, applications, and services. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In general, various types of venues may serve as the locations for various types of events or activities. For example, stadiums may be venues for sporting events and concerts, parks may be venues for concerts and other gatherings, museums and libraries may be venues for various activities, and so forth. In certain venues, limited amounts of venue-related information may be shared with people present at the venue. For example, large screen displays at stadiums may be used by fans to watch replays of sporting events and provide different views of the stage at concerts. However, people visiting many types of venues, and attending certain types of events at such venues, are growing to expect greater amounts of information and interactivity related to the venues and the events taking place at the venues. This is particularly true for events which people also may access remotely, such as sporting events and other types of events which may be broadcast on television or accessed via the Internet, as people typically have access to such additional information via the Internet. Accordingly, in order to continue to attract people to such venues, promoters have an incentive to provide people at the venues with an enhanced experience related to presence at the venues. Disadvantageously, however, existing mechanisms for providing a person at a venue with an enhanced experience related to the presence of the person at the venue suffer from various drawbacks. 
     SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Various deficiencies in the prior art are addressed by embodiments for controlling access to venue-related items associated with a venue. 
     In at least some embodiments, an apparatus includes a processor and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to detect a presence of a mobile device at a venue and send a venue token toward the mobile device based on detection of the presence of the mobile device at the venue, where the venue token includes an indication of a venue-related item that the mobile device is permitted to access independent of a location of the mobile device. 
     In at least some embodiments, a method includes using a processor and a memory for detecting a presence of a mobile device at a venue, and sending a venue token toward the mobile device based on detection of the presence of the mobile device at the venue, where the venue token includes an indication of a venue-related item that the mobile device is permitted to access independent of a location of the mobile device. 
     In at least some embodiments, an apparatus includes a processor and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to receive a venue token based on a presence of the mobile device at a venue where the venue token includes an indication of a venue-related item that the mobile device is permitted to access independent of a location of the mobile device, and send a request for the venue-related item toward a server based on the venue token. 
     In at least some embodiments, a method includes using a processor and a memory for receiving a venue token based on a presence of the mobile device at a venue where the venue token includes an indication of a venue-related item that the mobile device is permitted to access independent of a location of the mobile device, and sending a request for the venue-related item toward a server based on the venue token. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The teachings herein can be readily understood by considering the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary environment for illustrating control over access to venue-related items associated with a venue; 
         FIG. 2  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a method for controlling access to venue-related items associated with the venue of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a method performed by a token server for providing a venue token to a mobile device; 
         FIG. 4  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a method performed by a mobile device accessing venue-related items based on a venue token received from a token server; and 
         FIG. 5  depicts a high-level block diagram of a computer suitable for use in performing functions presented herein. 
     
    
    
     To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements common to the figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     A capability for controlling access to venue-related items (e.g., content, applications, services, or the like) is presented. The capability for controlling access to venue-related items may enable a person with a mobile device to access venue-related items independent of the location of the person (e.g., while still at the venue or after the person leaves the venue). The capability for controlling access to venue-related items may enable a person with a mobile device to access venue-related items served from inside of the venue or served from outside of the venue. The capability for controlling access to venue-related items may enable a person with a mobile device to access venue-related items by automatically providing to the mobile device a venue token which may be used by the mobile device to access venue-related items. The venue token may be provided automatically based on detection of a presence of the mobile device at the venue. The venue token may identify one or more venue-related items accessible via the mobile device based on the detection of the presence of the mobile device at the venue. The venue token may include authentication information (e.g., authentication credentials, an authentication function configured to generate authentication credentials, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof). The venue token may include context information associated with access to the one or more venue-related items identified in the venue token. The venue token may have various other characteristics configured therein or associated therewith. The capability for controlling access to venue-related items may enable a person with a mobile device to access venue-related items while obviating a need for acquiring or maintaining a registration of the person or the mobile device, which may be particularly useful for venues having a relatively large number of attendees. These and various other embodiments and advantages of the capability for controlling access to venue-related items may be better understood by way of reference to the exemplary chat-based system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary environment for illustrating control over access to venue-related items associated with a venue. 
     The environment  100  includes a venue  110 , a communication network (CN)  120 , a location server (LS)  130 , a token server (TS)  140 , a venue server (VS)  150 , and a mobile device (MD)  160 . 
     The venue  110  may be a place or a location at which an event or an activity takes place. The people attending the event or activity at the venue  110  generally need to be admitted to the venue  110  in order to become an authorized attendee of the event or activity. For example, venue  110  may be a stadium, a museum, a library, a theme park, a cruise ship, a convention center, a hotel, a casino, an outside location (e.g., a park, a parking lot, a lawn, or the like), or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. The venue  110  also may be considered to include locations outside of a building of the venue  110  (e.g., a stadium parking lot of a stadium, a museum parking lot of a museum, an outdoor recreational and pool area of a hotel, or the like), where access to the people attending the event or activity at the venue  110  generally also need to be admitted to such locations outside of the building of the venue  110 . As such, the area of which venue  110  is composed (denoted by the oval labeled as venue  110 ), which is expected to be defined for purposes of detecting the presence of MD  160  at the venue  110 , may be defined based on one or more geographic locations (e.g., a geographic area covering a stadium and its surrounding parking lot, a geographic area covering a college campus, or the like), one or more indoor locations (e.g., indoor locations within a museum, indoor locations within an office building, or the like), or the like, as well as various combinations thereof (e.g., a combination of indoor locations within a stadium and a geographic area covering the surrounding stadium parking lot of the stadium). The venue  110 , or the event or activity taking place within the venue  110 , may have associated therewith venue-related items (e.g., content items, applications, services, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof) which may be accessible from VS  150  (depicted as venue-related items  151 ), as discussed further hereinbelow. 
     The venue  110  includes a set of wireless gateways (WGs)  112   1 - 112   N  (collectively, WGs  112 ). The WGs  112  are configured to support wireless communications of MD  160  while MD  160  is located at venue  110  (as well as other MDs which may be located at venue  110 , which are omitted from  FIG. 1  for purposes of clarity). The WGs  112  are communicatively connected to CN  120  and, thus, may support various types of communications for MD  160  (e.g., communications with LS  130  for enabling LS  130  to determine the location of MD  160 , communications with TS  140  for enabling TS  140  to support automatic delivery of a venue token for venue  110  to MD  160 , communications with VS  150  for supporting access by MD  160  to venue-related items  151  available from VS  150 , voice and data communications normally performed via MD  160  independent of the venue  160 , or the like, as well as various combinations thereof). For example, WGs  112  may include WiFi access points (WAPs), cellular access points (e.g., cellular base stations, picocells, femtocells, or the like), or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. It will be appreciated that, although primarily depicted and described with respect to embodiments in which WGs  112  of venue  110  are used to enable LS  130  to determine the location of MD  160 , in at least some embodiments venue  110  also or alternatively may include other types of location tracking devices (e.g., signal detection devices or the like, which are omitted from  FIG. 1  for purposes of clarity) in order to enable LS  130  to determine the location of MD  160 . 
     The CN  120  is a communication network configured to support various types of communications discussed herein. The CN  120  is communicatively connected to WGs  112  of venue  110  (as discussed hereinabove with respect to venue  110 ) and is communicatively connected to LS  130 , TS  140 , and VS  150 . The CN  120  may include a wireless access network portion (e.g., a set of wireless gateways (WGs)  122   1 - 122   M  (collectively, WGs  122 ) as depicted in  FIG. 1 ), a wireless core network portion, a wireline access network portion, a wireline core network portion, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. It will be appreciated that the CN  120  may utilize various types of communications technologies, protocols, capabilities, and so forth. The WGs  122  of CN  120  are configured to support wireless communications of MD  160  while MD  160  is located away from venue  110  (as well as other MDs which may be located away from venue  110 , which are omitted from  FIG. 1  for purposes of clarity). The WGs  122  are configured to operate as wireless points of access to CN  120  and, accordingly, may support various types of communications for MD  160  (e.g., communications with LS  130  for enabling LS  130  to determine the location of MD  160 , communications with TS  140  for enabling TS  140  to support automatic delivery of a venue token for venue  110  to MD  160 , communications with VS  150  for supporting access by MD  160  to venue-related items  151  available from VS  150 , voice and data communications normally performed via MD  160  independent of the venue  160 , or the like, as well as various combinations thereof). For example, WGs  122  may include WiFi access points (WAPs), cellular access points (e.g., cellular base stations, picocells, femtocells, or the like), or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. It will be appreciated that, although primarily depicted and described with respect to embodiments in which WGs  122  of CN  120  are used to enable LS  130  to determine the location of MD  160 , in at least some embodiments CN  120  also or alternatively may include other types of location tracking devices (e.g., signal detection devices or the like, which are omitted from  FIG. 1  for purposes of clarity) in order to enable LS  130  to determine the location of MD  160 . It will be appreciated that, while WGs  122  of CN  120  may support communications with LS  130  for enabling LS  130  to determine the location of MD  160  and may support communications with TS  140  for enabling TS  140  to support automatic delivery of a venue token for venue  110  to MD  160 , such communications may not be performed where the venue token has already been provided to MD  160  and, thus, MD  160  is entitles to access venue-related items  151  from VS  150  independent of the current location of MD  160 . 
     The LS  130  is configured to perform location detection functions. The LS  130  is configured to determine the location of MD  160  and to detect the presence of MD  160  at venue  110  based on the determined location of MD  160  and venue boundary definition information that defines the boundaries of venue  110 . The LS  130  may determine the location of MD  160  based on various types of information which may be processed in various ways. For example, LS  130  may determine the location of MD  160  based on one or more of Global Positioning System (GPS) information associated with MD  160 , time-difference-of-arrival information associated with MD  160  (e.g., received from three or more of the WGs  112  of venue  110  and used to triangulate the location of MD  160 ), presence detection information associated with MD  160  (e.g., received from one or more presence detection devices configured to detect the presence of MD  160  within a particular distance of the one or more presence detection devices), or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. The LS  130  may detect the presence of MD  160  at venue  110 , based on the determined location of MD  160  and venue boundary definition information that defines the boundaries of venue  110 , by comparing the determined location of MD  160  and the venue boundary definition information that defines the boundaries of venue  110  for determining whether the MD  160  is located within the boundaries of venue  110 . It will be appreciated that, although primarily depicted and described with respect to embodiments in which LS  130  is configured to detect the presence of MD  160  at venue  110  based on the determined location of MD  160  and the venue boundary definition information that defines the boundaries of venue  110 , in at least some embodiments LS  130  may be configured to detect the presence of MD  160  at venue  110  simply based on detection of the presence of MD  160  by one or more presence detection devices known to be located at the venue  110 . The LS  130  is configured to notify TS  140  based on detection of the presence of MD  160  at venue  110 . 
     The TS  140  is configured to provide a venue token  141  to MD  160  based on detection of the presence of MD  160  at venue  110 . 
     The TS  140  may detect the presence of MD  160  at venue  110  based on receiving, from LS  130 , a notification indicative that LS  130  has detected the presence of MD  160  at venue  110 . The TS  140  may be configured to provide the venue token  141  to MD  160  responsive to a request for the venue token received from MD  160  (e.g., after the presence of MD  160  at venue  110  has been detected) or automatically without any request for the venue token  141  being received from MD  160  (e.g., automatically responsive to detection of the presence of MD  160  at venue  110 , automatically responsive to some other trigger or condition after the presence of MD  160  at venue  110  has been detected, or the like). 
     The TS  140  may be configured to obtain the venue token  141  to be provided to MD  160 . The TS  140  may be configured to obtain the venue token  141  by retrieving the venue token  141  (e.g., from a device remote from TS  140 ), generating the venue token  141  locally at TS  140 , or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. The TS  140  may be configured to obtain the venue token  141  prior to detection of the presence of MD  160  at venue  110 , dynamically responsive to detection of the presence of MD  160  at venue  110 , partially prior to detection of the presence of MD  160  at venue  110  and partially dynamically responsive to detection of the presence of MD  160  at venue  110  (e.g., a generic venue token is obtained prior to detection of the presence of MD  160  at venue  110  and the generic venue token is then updated dynamically responsive to detection of the presence of MD  160  at venue  110  to form the venue token  141  that is provided by TS  140  to MD  160 ), or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. 
     The venue token  141  is configured to extend the venue-related experience of the user of MD  160  beyond the venue  110  by enabling the user of MD  160  to use the venue token  141  to access venue-related items  151  after the user leaves venue  110  (illustratively, from VS  150 ). The venue token  141  may be specific to MD  160 , may be specific to a group of MDs including MD  160 , may be a generic venue token to be provided to any MD (including MD  160  and any other MDs) detected as being present at venue  110 , or the like. The venue token  141 , or portions of venue token  141 , may be used by MD  160  to access one or more venue-related items  151  after the user of MD  160  has left venue  110 , thereby enabling an extension of the venue-related experience of the user of MD  160  beyond the venue  110 . 
     The venue token  141  includes an indication of one or more venue-related items  151  that MD  160  is permitted to access. The indication of the one or more venue-related items  151  that MD  160  is permitted to access may be encoded within venue token  141 . The manner in which the one or more venue-related items  151  that MD  160  is permitted to access are indicated in the venue token  141  may depend on various factors (e.g., the number of devices from which the venue-related items  151  are available, the type(s) of venue-related items  151 , or the like, as well as various combinations thereof). The indication of a venue-related item  151  that MD  160  is permitted to access may be included within venue token  141  by including a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) of the venue-related item  151  within the venue token  141 . The indication of a venue-related item  151  that MD  160  is permitted to access may be included within venue token  141  by including a network address of a device (illustratively, VS  150 , discussed further below) hosting the venue-related item  151  and file/item path information indicating a location of the venue-related item  151  on the device hosting the venue-related item  151 . The indication of a venue-related item  151  that MD  160  is permitted to access may be included within venue token  141  in any other manner suitable for use by MD  160  to request access to the venue-related item  151 . It is noted that the inclusion within the venue token  141  of the indication of the one or more venue-related items  151  that MD  160  is permitted to access obviates the need (e.g., by TS  140 , VS  150 , or any other related device or entity) to obtain and manage registration information for MD  160  (or any other MDs associated with venue  110  which, again, have been omitted from  FIG. 1  for purposes of clarity), which significantly reduces the overhead associated with providing access to venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110 . The indication of the one or more venue-related items  151  that MD  160  is permitted to access may be used by the MD  160  to request access to the one or more venue-related items  151 . 
     The venue token  141  also may include authentication information. The inclusion of authentication information within the venue token  141  may be used to provide additional security for controlling access by MD  160  to the one or more venue-related items  151  indicated in the venue token  141 . The authentication information may be used by the MD  160  to request access to the one or more venue-related items  151 . The authentication information may include authentication credentials, an authentication function configured for use in generating authentication credentials, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. The MD  160  may provide the authentication credentials to VS  150  when requesting access to the one or more venue-related items  151  indicated in the venue token  141 , and the authentication credentials may be verified by VS  150  before MD  160  is provided access to the one or more venue-related items  151  indicated in the venue token  141 . The authentication credentials may include a value, a code, a certificate, or any other suitable form of authentication credentials. The authentication function configured for use in generating authentication credentials may include a hash function (or other suitable type of function) that will be used by VS  150  to generate authentication credentials that VS  150  will compare with authentication credentials received from MD  160  when MD  160  requests access to the one or more venue-related items  151  indicated in the venue token  141 . For example, the venue token  141  provided to the MD  160  may include an authentication code known by VS  150  to be a valid code, MD  160  may send the authentication code to VS  150  as part of a request to access one or more venue-related items  151  indicated in the venue token  141 , and VS  150  may verify that the authentication code received from MD  160  is valid before providing MD  160  access to the one or more venue-related items  151  requested by MD  160 . Similarly, for example, the venue token  141  provided to the MD  160  may include a hash function which may be used by MD  160  to generate a hash value that may be provided by MD  160  to VS  150  as part of a request to access one or more venue-related items  151  indicated in the venue token  141 , and VS  150  may use the same hash function to generate a corresponding hash value and may verify that the hash value received from MD  160  and the hash value generated by VS  150  match before providing MD  160  access to the one or more venue-related items  151  requested by MD  160 . It will be appreciated that, although primarily presented with respect to embodiments in which the authentication information for venue token  141  is provided to MD  160  along with the venue token  141  (e.g., within the venue token  141 , within the same message as the venue token  141 , or the like), in at least some embodiments the authentication information for venue token  141  may be provided to MD  160  separately from the venue token  141  (e.g., via different messages of the same communication path or communication session, via different communication paths or communication sessions, from different sources of such information, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof) in order to provide enhanced security (e.g., an unauthorized device or person which somehow obtains the venue token  141  may not be able to obtain the associated authentication information and, thus, would be prevented from accessing the one or more venue-related items  151  indicated in the venue token  141 ). The authentication information associated with venue token  141  may be generated by TS  140  and provided by TS  140  to VS  150  and MD  160  (such that VS  150  has access to the authentication credentials to be used by MD  160  to access the one or more venue-related items  151  indicated in the venue token  141 ), generated by VS  150  and provided by VS  150  to TS  140  for TS  140  to provide to MD  160  (again, such that VS  150  has access to the authentication credentials to be used by MD  160  to access the one or more venue-related items  151  indicated in the venue token  141 ), or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. The use of authentication information to control access by MD  160  to the one or more venue-related items  151  indicated in the venue token  141  may obviate the need for VS  150  (or any other related device) to obtain and manage registration information for MD  160  (or any other MDs associated with venue  110  which, again, have been omitted from  FIG. 1  for purposes of clarity). The authentication information, as discussed above, may be used by the MD  160  to request access to the one or more venue-related items  151 . 
     The venue token  141  also may include context information. The context information may be used to improve access by MD  160  to the one or more venue-related items  151  indicated in the venue token  141 , thereby enabling improvements in extension of the venue-related experience of the user of MD  160  beyond the venue  110 . The context information may include user context information associated with a user of MD  160  (e.g., age, gender, or the like), which may be obtained from MD  160 , VS  150 , or any other suitable source of such information (e.g., a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) or other similar server, a context server, or the like). The context information may include device context information associated with MD  160  (e.g., device type, device model, device battery status, or the like), which may be obtained from MD  160  or any other suitable source of such information (e.g., a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) or other similar server, a context server, or the like). The context information may include venue context information associated with venue  110  (e.g., context information for the venue  110  (e.g., identification of specific locations or activities available within venue  110 ), context information for an event or activity taking place at the venue  110  (e.g., identification of specific locations or activities available at the event being held in the venue  110 ), context information related to presence of MD  160  at venue  110  (e.g., a number of times the MD  160  has been detected at venue  110 , identification of specific locations or places within the venue  110  visited by a user of the MD  160  while at the venue, temporal venue context information (e.g., a time at which the presence of MD  160  at venue  110  was first detected, a time at which the presence of MD  160  at venue  110  was last detected, a length of time spent at the venue  110 , or the like), identification of specific activities or transactions performed by the user of MD  160  at the venue  110 , or the like, as well as various combinations thereof), which may be obtained from MD  160 , VS  150 , or any other suitable source of such information. The context information may include any other suitable type of context information which may be included within venue token  141  for use in extending the venue-related experience of the user of MD  160  beyond the venue  110 . The context information, like the indications of the one or more venue-related items  151  that MD  160  is permitted to access, may be included or encoded within venue token  141  in various ways. It will be appreciated that, although primarily presented with respect to embodiments in which the context information for venue token  141  is provided to MD  160  along with the venue token  141  (e.g., within the venue token  141 , within the same message as the venue token  141 , or the like), in at least some embodiments the context information for venue token  141  may be provided to MD  160  vly from the venue token  141  (e.g., via different messages of the same communication path or communication session, via different communication paths or communication sessions, from different sources of such information, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof) in order to provide enhanced security or enhanced capabilities. The context information may be used by the MD  160  to request access to the one or more venue-related items  151 . 
     The venue token  141  also may have characteristics associated therewith. The characteristics may be configured to control use of venue token by MD  160  to access venue-related items  151  from VS  150 . For example, the venue token  141  may be have a finite duration associated therewith, after which the MD  160  may no longer access venue-related items  151  from VS  150  based venue token  141 . The venue token  141  may have various other types of characteristics associated therewith. 
     The venue token  141 , although primarily depicted and described as including specific types of information (namely, an indication of one or more venue-related items  151  that MD  160  is permitted to access and, optionally, authentication information or context information) and having specific characteristics associated therewith (e.g., a finite duration or the like), may include various other types of information or have various other types of characteristics which may be used by MD  160  to extend the venue-related experience of the user of MD  160  beyond the venue  110 . 
     The VS  150  may be configured to maintain and control access to venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110 . 
     The VS  150  may be configured to maintain various venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110 , such as one or more content items (e.g., text-based content, web pages, audio clips, video clips, multimedia clips, statistics, discount offers, coupons, upgrade offers, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof), one or more applications (e.g., learning applications, trivia quiz applications, gaming applications, social networking applications, e-commerce applications, or the like), one or more services (e.g., virtual experience services, point of view services, content management services, social networking services, or the like), or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. 
     The VS  150  may be configured to support various types of access by MD  160  to venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110 . The VS  150  may be configured to support access by MD  160  to at least some venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110 , while MD  160  is located at venue  110 , with or without use of the venue token by MD  160 . The VS  150  may be configured to support access by MD  160  to at least some venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110 , while MD  160  is not located at venue  110  (illustratively, MD  160 ′ which has left venue  110 ), based on the venue token provided to MD  160 . The VS  150  may be configured to receive a venue item request from MD  160  based on venue token  141  (e.g., the venue item request includes venue token  141 , the venue item request includes information from venue token  141 , or the like) and to provide one or more venue-related items  151  to MD  160  responsive to the venue item request. For example, VS  150  may receive a venue item request from MD  160  that includes venue token  141 , and may provide MD  160  access to each of the one or more venue-related items  151  indicated by the venue token  141 . For example, VS  150  may receive a venue item request from MD  160  that includes an identification of a venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160  (e.g., a URI of the venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160 ), and may provide the indicated venue-related item  151  to MD  160 . For example, VS  150  may receive a venue item request from MD  160  that includes an identification of a venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160  (e.g., a URI of the venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160 ) and authentication credentials, and may provide the indicated venue-related item  151  to MD  160  after successful verification of the authentication credentials. For example, VS  150  may receive a venue item request from MD  160  that includes an identification of a venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160  (e.g., a URI of the venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160 ) and context information, and may provide the indicated venue-related item  151  to MD  160  based on the context information. For example, VS  150  may receive a venue item request from MD  160  that includes an identification of a venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160  (e.g., a URI of the venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160 ), authentication credentials, and context information, and may provide the indicated venue-related item  151  to MD  160  based on the context information after successful verification of the authentication credentials. It will be appreciated that requests by MD  160  for access to venue-related items  151  available from VS  150  may be provided by MD  160  in other ways and, thus, may be processed by VS  150  in other ways. It is noted that context information included by MD  160  in a venue item request may include one or more of context information from the venue token  141 , context information obtained by MD  160  independent of venue token  141 , or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. 
     The MD  160  is configured to access and use venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110  that are maintained by VS  150 . As previously discussed, the MD  160  is initially located at the venue  110  (denoted by MD  160 ) and later moves to a location away from venue  110  (denoted by MD  160 ′). The location of MD  160  at the venue  110  is detected by LS  130  based on information received by LS  130  from one or more of the WGs  112 , and the location of MD  160  away from the venue  110  may be detected by LS  130  based on information received by LS  130  from one or more of the WGs  122 . The MD  160  may access venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110 , from VS  150 , while MD  160  is located at venue  110 . The MD  160  receives the venue token  141  from TS  140  and stores the venue token  141  for use in accessing venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110  from VS  150 . The MD  160  may use venue token  141  to access venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110 , from VS  150 , while MD  160  is located at venue  110  or while MD  160  is located away from venue  110  (i.e., independent of the location of MD  160 ). The MD  160  may use venue token  141  to request access to one or more venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110 . The MD  160  may use venue token  141  to send a request for access to one or more venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110 . The MD  160  may send a request for one or more venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110  to VS  150  based on venue token  141  (e.g., based on an indication of a venue-related item  151  that the mobile device is permitted to access independent of a location of the mobile device and, optionally, based on one or more other types of information which may be included within venue token  141  or otherwise determined by MD  160  (e.g., authentication credentials, context information, or the like)). For example, MD  160  may send a venue item request that includes venue token  141 , and VS  150  may provide MD  160  access to each of the one or more venue-related items  151  indicated by the venue token  141 . For example, MD  160  may send a venue item request that includes an identification of a venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160  (e.g., a URI of the venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160 ), and VS  150  may provide the indicated venue-related item  151  to MD  160 . For example, MD  160  may send a venue item request that includes an identification of a venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160  (e.g., a URI of the venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160 ) and authentication credentials, and VS  150  may provide the indicated venue-related item  151  to MD  160  after successful verification of the authentication credentials. For example, MD  160  may send a venue item request that includes an identification of a venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160  (e.g., a URI of the venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160 ) and context information, and VS  150  may provide the indicated venue-related item  151  to MD  160  based on the context information. For example, MD  160  may send a venue item request that includes an identification of a venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160  (e.g., a URI of the venue-related item  151  being requested by MD  160 ), authentication credentials, and context information, and VS  150  may provide the indicated venue-related item  151  to MD  160  based on the context information after successful verification of the authentication credentials. It is noted that context information included by MD  160  in a venue item request may include one or more of context information from the venue token  141 , context information available to or obtained by MD  160  independent of venue token  141  (e.g., user context information stored on MD  160 , device context information for MD  160  which may be available from one or more modules running on MD  160 , or the like, as well as various combinations thereof), or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. It will be appreciated that sending of the venue item request by MD  160  may be preceded by generation of the venue item request by MD  160  or to include generation of the venue item request by MD  160  (e.g., where sending of the venue item request by MD  160  includes generation and transmission of the venue item request). It will be appreciated that requests by MD  160  for access to venue-related items  151  available from VS  150  may be provided by MD  160  in other ways and, thus, may be processed by VS  150  in other ways. The MD  160  may be a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, or the like. 
     As discussed herein, VS  150  may maintain and control access to venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110 , and MD  160  may access venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110  from VS  150  based on venue token  141  from TS  140 . The types of venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110  which may be maintained and controlled by VS  150  and accessed by MD  160  may be better understood with respect to more specific examples. For example, a person that leaves a sporting event early may be allowed to participate in on-line contests and activities that revolve around the game (e.g., trivia quizzes, socially network with fans at the game, or the like), watch the remainder of the game online, receive real-time video feeds from various perspectives on the field (e.g., 50 yard line, bench views, or the like), receive real-time audio commentary regarding the game, access interesting statistics associated with the game, receive promotions (e.g., merchandise, future events at the venue of the sporting event, or the like), access location context-aware offers from merchants in the vicinity of the venue of the sporting event, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. For example, a person that leaves a shopping mall may participate in a contest to receive a gift certificate to a store at the shopping mall, receive context-relevant offers (e.g., based on online shopping experience, based on context related to the current or past visits by the person to the shopping mall (e.g., which stores at the mall were visited by the person, past purchases by the person, frequency of visits to the shopping mall or to specific stores within the shopping mall, or the like), based on various other types of context information, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof). For example, a person that leaves a first-class airport lounge may be provided with walking directions from the first-class airport lounge to the departure gate, video clips of reference points located between the lounge and the departure gate, offers from merchants located between the lounge and the departure gate, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. For example, a person that leaves a university lecture may be provided with a discount to purchase a book on the lecture subject, provided access to related resource materials after for a period of time after leaving the lecture hall, or the like. For example, a person at a corporate event may be provided access to attend an online small-group session with senior management. For example, a participant at an event may be provided access to a 2-1 discount offer, a free seat upgrade for a next event held at the venue, or the like. For example, an incoming college freshman at a college orientation event may be provided access to a follow-up virtual experience (e.g., social networking with other students, access to video archives from the day, or the like). For example, a visitor to a restaurant may receive a special discount after visiting the restaurant location on five consecutive days at lunch time. For example, a visitor to a sporting venue may be provided access to special seating after ten visits to the sporting venue. It will be appreciated that the foregoing examples are merely a few examples of the various types of venue-related items  151  associated with venue  110  which may be controlled by VS  150  and accessed by MD  160 . 
     It will be appreciated that, although primarily presented with respect to embodiments in which LS  130 , TS  140 , and VS  150  have been arranged in a particular manner (illustratively, implemented as separate devices deployed at particular network locations relative to each other and other elements), LS  130 , TS  140 , and VS  150  may be arranged in various other ways. In at least some embodiments, for example, LS  130 , TS  140 , and VS  150  may be implemented in other ways (e.g., a combined server providing the functions of LS  130  and TS  140 , a combined server providing the functions of TS  140  and VS  150 , a combined server providing the functions of LS  130 , TS  140 , and VS  150 , multiple servers providing the functions of VS  150 , or the like, as well as various combinations thereof). In at least some embodiments, for example, one or more of LS  130 , TS  140 , or VS  150  may be deployed in other ways (e.g., deployment of VS  150  within venue  110  such that it is communicatively connected to network infrastructure of venue  110 ). 
       FIG. 2  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a method for controlling access to venue-related items associated with the venue of  FIG. 1 . More specifically, as depicted in  FIG. 2 , method  200  is presented within the context of environment  100  of  FIG. 1 . The operation of method  200  may be further understood when read in conjunction with the description of environment  100  of  FIG. 1 . The method  200  may begin at any suitable time after MD  160  enters venue  110  (e.g., upon detection of the MD  160  at the venue  110 , responsive to downloading of a venue application by MD  160 , or the like). At step  210 , LS  130  detects the presence of MD  160  at venue  110 . At step  220 , LS  130  informs TS  140  of detection of the presence of MD  160  at venue  110 . At step  230 , TS  140  provides a venue token to MD  160  based on detection of the presence of MD  160  at venue  110 . The operation of TS  140  within the context of  FIG. 2  may be further understood by way of reference to  FIG. 3 . At step  240 , MD  160  moves from being located at venue  110  to being located remote from venue  110 . At step  250 , MD  160  uses the venue token to access venue-related items  151  from VS  150 . The MD  160  may send a request for a venue-related item  151  toward the VS  150  and receive the venue-related item  151  from VS  150 . The request for the venue-related item  151  may include the venue token or may include a portion of the venue token (e.g., an indication of the venue-related item  151  that is being requested, authentication credentials which may be verified by VS  150  prior to providing the requested venue-related item  151  to MD  160 , context information, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof). The operation of MD  160  within the context of  FIG. 2  may be further understood by way of reference to  FIG. 4 . In this manner, a virtual experience is extended to the user of MD  160  after the user of MD  160  leaves venue  110 . The method  200  may end at any suitable time after MD  160  receives the venue token for venue  110  (e.g., upon a determination that the venue token has expired, responsive to deletion of a venue application from MD  160 , or the like). 
       FIG. 3  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a method performed by a token server for providing a venue token to a mobile device. For example, method  300  of  FIG. 3  may be performed by TS  140  of  FIG. 1 . At step  301 , method  300  begins. At step  310 , the presence of the mobile device at the venue is detected. At step  320 , a venue token is sent toward the mobile device based on detection of the presence of the mobile device at the venue. At step  399 , method  300  ends. The operation of method  300  may be further understood when read in conjunction with  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a method performed by a mobile device accessing venue-related items based on a venue token received from a token server. For example, method  400  of  FIG. 4  may be performed by MD  160  of  FIG. 1 . At step  401 , method  400  begins. At step  410 , the mobile device receives, based on a presence of the mobile device at the venue, a venue token configured for use by the mobile device to access one or more venue-related items independent of a location of the mobile device. At step  420 , the mobile device sends, toward a venue server based on the venue token, a venue item request for one or more venue-related items associated with the venue. At step  499 , method  400  ends. The operation of method  400  may be further understood when read in conjunction with  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . 
     It will be appreciated that, although primarily presented with respect to embodiments in which the venue token is provided to the mobile device of the user and used by the mobile device of the user to access the one or more venue-related items, in at least some embodiments the venue token may be moved or copied from the mobile device of the user to one or more other end devices (e.g., of the user or of any other authorized user) and used by the one or more other end devices to access the one or more venue-related items. The venue token may be moved or copied from the mobile device of the user to one or more other end devices responsive to a manual command initiated by the user, automatically responsive to detection of a trigger condition, or the like. The venue token may be moved or copied from the mobile device of the user to one or more other end devices using one or more messages, using any suitable communication protocols, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof. The end device(s) to which the venue token may be sent may include a computer (e.g., a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, or the like), a television, a gaming console, or the like. For example, the user may manually initiate transfer of the token from his or her mobile device to a laptop computer and then use the laptop computer to access the one or more venue-related items. For example, the mobile device of the user may automatically transfer the token from the mobile device to a desktop computer or television based on a trigger condition (e.g., detection of a home network of the user, detection of a work network of the user, detection of a WiFi access point that the mobile device is configured to access automatically, detection of a geographic location of the mobile device, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof). 
       FIG. 5  depicts a high-level block diagram of a computer suitable for use in performing functions described herein. 
     The computer  500  includes a processor  502  (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) and/or other suitable processor(s)) and a memory  504  (e.g., random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), and the like). 
     The computer  500  also may include a cooperating module/process  505 . The cooperating process  505  can be loaded into memory  504  and executed by the processor  502  to implement functions as discussed herein and, thus, cooperating process  505  (including associated data structures) can be stored on a computer-readable storage medium, e.g., RAM, magnetic or optical drive or diskette, and the like. 
     The computer  500  also may include one or more input/output devices  506  (e.g., a user input device (such as a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, and the like), a user output device (such as a display, a speaker, and the like), an input port, an output port, a receiver, a transmitter, one or more storage devices (e.g., a tape drive, a floppy drive, a hard disk drive, a compact disk drive, and the like), or the like, as well as various combinations thereof). 
     It will be appreciated that computer  500  depicted in  FIG. 5  provides a general architecture and functionality suitable for implementing functional elements described herein and/or portions of functional elements described herein. For example, computer  500  provides a general architecture and functionality suitable for implementing one or more of one of the WGs  112 , one of the WGs  122 , LS  130 , TS  140 , VS  150 , MD  160 , or the like. 
     It will be appreciated that the functions depicted and described herein may be implemented in software (e.g., via implementation of software on one or more processors, for executing on a general purpose computer (e.g., via execution by one or more processors) so as to implement a special purpose computer, and the like) and/or may be implemented in hardware (e.g., using a general purpose computer, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), and/or any other hardware equivalents). 
     It will be appreciated that some of the steps discussed herein as software methods may be implemented within hardware, for example, as circuitry that cooperates with the processor to perform various method steps. Portions of the functions/elements described herein may be implemented as a computer program product wherein computer instructions, when processed by a computer, adapt the operation of the computer such that the methods and/or techniques described herein are invoked or otherwise provided. Instructions for invoking the inventive methods may be stored in fixed or removable media, transmitted via a data stream in a broadcast or other signal bearing medium, and/or stored within a memory within a computing device operating according to the instructions. 
     It will be appreciated that the term “or” as used herein refers to a non-exclusive “or,” unless otherwise indicated (e.g., use of “or else” or “or in the alternative”). 
     It will be appreciated that, although various embodiments which incorporate the teachings presented herein have been shown and described in detail herein, those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings.