Patent ID: 8315636

Claim:
A method for managing data in a distributed system implemented in a network, comprising the steps of: receiving first mobile data that includes non-routing data describing a mobile node of a plurality of network nodes, each network node implemented as one of an end node configured to originate or terminate data communication via at least one network link or a network device configured to pass the data communication via the at least one network link, the first mobile data received from the mobile node via the network, wherein the mobile node is associated with a first data item of a plurality of data items in a distributed data system on the plurality of network nodes, the non-routing data includes at least one of organizational data or spatial data describing a non-location spatial state of the mobile node, the organizational data is associated with an organizational data item in a multi-level hierarchy of organizational data items in the distributed data system, and the spatial data describing the non-location spatial state of the mobile node including at least one of a physical location, shape, size, or orientation; the distributed system establishing a non-topological relationship, based on the non-routing data, between the first data item representing the mobile node and a different second data item of the plurality of data items and representing a physical object or a different second network node of the plurality of network nodes, wherein the non-topological relationship is at least one of a spatial relationship or an organizational relationship in the multi-level hierarchy; and the distributed system causing content relevant to the non-topological relationship to be communicated between the mobile node and the second network node and to the mobile node based at least in part on the non-topological relationship, the distributed system further sending to the mobile node a command to improve network communications based on at least one of moving relative to another one of the network nodes or changing a radio characteristic of the mobile node, the command generated based on the spatial relationship between the mobile node and the physical object or the different second network node represented by the second data item.