Method and system for communicating media based on location of media source

1. A computer-implemented method for communicating media based on location of media source, comprising:

receiving communications from a plurality of endpoints, each communication comprising a media message and location information identifying a location of its transmitting endpoint;

receiving via a user endpoint a selection of a geographical area;

comparing the location information of each communication with the selected geographical area; and

presenting to the user endpoint each message received from each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints located within the selected geographical area.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

receiving communications from a plurality of endpoints comprises receiving communications from a plurality of virtual talk groups each comprising endpoints of different communication networks; and

presenting to the user endpoint each message received from each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints located within the selected geographical area comprises presenting to the user endpoint messages from endpoints of different virtual talk groups.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving communications from a plurality of endpoints comprises receiving communications from a plurality of endpoints via a multicast stream.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving communications from a plurality of endpoints comprises receiving communications from a plurality of endpoints via a nailed dialed connection.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a selection of a geographical area comprises receiving a selection of a geographical area on a map presented to the user.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the location information of each communication with the selected geographical area comprises comparing the location information of each communication with the selected geographical area at an endpoint of the user.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location information comprises global positioning satellite (GPS) information.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each media message comprises an audio message and the location information is steganographically embedded within the audio message.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of endpoints comprise sensors; and

the media messages of the communications from the plurality of endpoints comprise information received at the sensors.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communications from the plurality of endpoints comprise push-to-talk communications.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of endpoints located within the selected geographical area includes endpoints from at least two of: a police department communication network, a fire department communication network, an ambulance communication network and a company communication network.

12. The method of claim 1 :

further comprising mixing each message received from each endpoint located within the selected geographical area into an output stream;

wherein presenting to the user endpoint each message received from each endpoint located within the selected geographical area comprises presenting the output stream to the user endpoint;

further comprising receiving from a first endpoint of the endpoints located within the selected geographical area a new communication comprising a new message and new location information identifying a new location of the first endpoint;

comparing the new location information with a second geographical area, the second geographical area larger than the selected geographical area and including the selected geographical area;

adding the new message to the output stream if the new location of the first endpoint is within the second geographical area; and

excluding the new message from the output stream if the new location of the first endpoint is not within the second geographical area.

13. A method for communicating media based on location of media source, comprising:

receiving communications from a plurality of endpoints, each communication comprising a media message and location information identifying a location of its transmitting endpoint;

receiving via a user endpoint a selection of a geographical area;

comparing the location information of each communication with the selected geographical area;

selecting endpoints of the plurality of endpoints based on their proximity to the selected geographical area; and

presenting to the user endpoint each message received from each selected endpoint.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein selecting endpoints of the plurality of endpoints based on their proximity to the selected geographical area comprises selecting a first number of endpoints closest to the geographical area.

15. The method of claim 13 :

further comprising mixing each message received from each selected endpoint into an output stream;

wherein presenting to the user endpoint each message received from each selected endpoint comprises presenting the output stream to the user endpoint;

further comprising receiving from a first endpoint of the plurality of endpoints a new communication comprising a new message and new location information identifying a new location of the first endpoint;

comparing the new location information with the selected geographical area; and

adding the new message to the output stream based on the proximity of the new location of the first endpoint to the selected geographical area.

16. A system for communicating media based on location of media source, comprising:

an interface operable to:

receive communications from a plurality of endpoints, each communication comprising a media message and location information identifying a location of its transmitting endpoint;

receive via a user endpoint a selection of a geographical area; and a processor coupled to the interface and operable to:

compare the location information of each communication with the selected geographical area; and

present to the user endpoint each message received from each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints located within the selected geographical area.

17. The system of claim 16 :

wherein an interface operable to receive communications from a plurality of endpoints comprises an interface operable to receive communications from a plurality of virtual talk groups each comprising endpoints of different communication networks; and

wherein a processor operable to present to the user endpoints each message received from each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints located within the selected geographical area comprises a processor operable to present to the user endpoint messages from endpoints of different virtual talk groups.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein an interface operable to receive communications from a plurality of endpoints comprises an interface operable to receive communications from a plurality of endpoints via a multicast stream.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein an interface operable to receive communications from a plurality of endpoints comprises an interface operable to receive communications from a plurality of endpoints via a nailed dialed connection.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein an interface operable to receive a selection of a geographical area comprises an interface operable to receive a selection of a geographical area on a map presented to the user.

21. The system of claim 16 , wherein a processor operable to compare the location information of each communication with the selected geographical area comprises a processor operable to compare the location information of each communication with the selected geographical area at an endpoint of the user.

22. The system of claim 16 , wherein the location information comprises global positioning satellite (GPS) information.

23. The system of claim 16 , wherein each media message comprises an audio message and the location information is steganographically embedded within the audio message.

24. The system of claim 16 , wherein:

the plurality of endpoints comprise sensors; and

the media messages of the communications from the plurality of endpoints comprise information received at the sensors.

25. The system of claim 16 , wherein the communications from the plurality of endpoints comprise push-to-talk communications.

26. The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of endpoints located within the selected geographical area includes endpoints from at least two of: a police department communication network, a fire department communication network, an ambulance communication network and a company communication network.

27. The system of claim 16 , wherein:

the processor is further operable to mix each message received from each selected endpoint into an output stream;

a processor operable to present to the user endpoint each message received from each selected endpoint comprises a processor operable to present the output stream to the user endpoint;

the interface is further operable to receive from a first endpoint of the endpoints located within the selected geographical area a new communication comprising a new message and new location information identifying a new location of the first endpoint; and

the processor is further operable to:

compare the new location information with a second geographical area, the second geographical area larger than the selected geographical area and including the selected geographical area;

add the new message to the output stream if the new location of the first endpoint is within the second geographical area; and

exclude the new message from the output stream if the new location of the first endpoint is not within the second geographical area.

28. A system for communicating media based on location an interface operable to:

receive communications from a plurality of endpoints, each communication comprising a media message and location information identifying a location of its transmitting endpoint; and

receive via a user endpoint a selection of a geographical area; and

a processor coupled to the interface and operable to:

compare the location information of each communication with the selected geographical area;

select endpoints of the plurality of endpoints based on their proximity to the selected geographical area; and

present to the user endpoint each message received from each selected endpoint.

29. The system of claim 28 , wherein a processor operable to select endpoints of the plurality of endpoints based on their proximity to the selected geographical area comprises a processor operable to select a first number of endpoints closest to the geographical area.

30. The system of claim 28 , wherein:

the processor is further operable to mix each message received from each selected endpoint into an output stream;

a processor operable to present to the user endpoint each message received from each selected endpoint comprises a processor operable to present the output stream to the user endpoint;

the interface is further operable to receive from a first endpoint of the plurality of endpoints a new communication comprising a new message and new location information identifying a new location of the first endpoint; and

the processor if further operable to:

compare the new location information with the selected geographical area; and

add the new message to the output stream based on the proximity of the new location of the first endpoint to the selected geographical area.

31. A system for communicating media based on location of media source, comprising:

means for receiving communications from a plurality of endpoints, each communication comprising a media message and location information identifying a location of its transmitting endpoint;

means for receiving via a user endpoint a selection of a geographical area;

means for comparing the location information of each communication with the selected geographical area; and

means for presenting to the user endpoint each message received from each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints located within the selected geographical area.

32. Logic embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code that, when executed by a processor, is operable to:

receive communications from a plurality of endpoints, each communication comprising a media message and location information identifying a location of its transmitting endpoint;

receive via a user endpoint a selection of a geographical area;

compare the location information of each communication with the selected geographical area; and

present to the user endpoint each message received from each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints located within the selected geographical area.