EXTEMPORANEOUS AWARENESS OF RICH PRESENCE INFORMATION FOR GROUP MEMBERS IN A VIRTUAL SPACE

Extemporaneous awareness of rich presence information among members of a peer group connected to a communication network is described. As members of the peer group log onto the network, identification information is examined to determine membership in any defined groups. For each group member found, rich presence information, which includes at least the visual context information identifying the activity that the group member is currently displaying on his or her device, and navigational information providing a virtual path to that activity, is extemporaneously broadcast to each other online member of the peer group unsolicited by these group members. This rich presence information is then used to display what every other member is doing on each member's device. By selecting the display corresponding to a particular activity, the selecting member may join that virtual space with the other corresponding member via the navigational information.