1. A method of establishing a communication connection between an end user device and a computing system, the method comprising the computing system:receiving end user device identifying data transmitted by the end user device;
deriving optical symbol reference data from the received identifying data, wherein the optical symbol reference data corresponds to an optical symbol sequence comprising a plurality of optical symbols displayed on the end user device;
an optical data acquisition device receiving optical symbol input data, wherein the computing system comprises the optical acquisition device;
comparing the optical symbol input data to the optical symbol reference data; and
initiating the communication connection with the end user device when the optical symbol input data matches the optical symbol reference data.

1. A communication device comprising:a housing comprising:
a body comprising a speaker and a microphone; and
a face coupled to the body, wherein the face comprises an optical display;
an attachment mechanism;
wherein the face is rotatable relative to the body between a first position and a second position, wherein the optical display presents a first visually perceptible confirmation when the face is in the first position and a second visually perceptible confirmation when the face is in the second position;
further wherein bidirectional communication using the speaker and microphone is enabled when the face is in the first position and further wherein at least the speaker is silenced when the face is in the second position;
further wherein the optical display is positioned on the face so that the optical display points to a first housing marker when the face is in the first position and further wherein the optical display points to a second housing marker when the face is in the second position;
further wherein the first housing marker is a first portion of the attachment mechanism and further wherein the second housing marker is a second portion of the attachment mechanism.

1. A method of transmitting audio data from a first end user device to a second end user device, the method comprising:a first intermediate communication device receiving a first plurality of audio data packet fragments from a first end user device via Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication, wherein the first end user device generates the first plurality of audio data packet fragments, further wherein each audio data packet fragment comprises audio data collected from an audio data stream;
the first intermediate communication device assembling a plurality of audio data packets, wherein each audio data packet comprises N audio data packet fragments from the received first plurality of audio data packet fragments; and
the first intermediate communication device transmitting the plurality of audio data packets to the second end user device over a communication network.

1. A method of operating a management system to manage the audio transducer status of a plurality of communication nodes comprising a first communication node and a second communication node, wherein each communication node comprises one or more audio transducers comprising a speaker and a microphone, the method comprising:a management system receiving attribute information from the first and second communication nodes, wherein the received attribute information comprises information about environmental noise levels and information about proximity of the first and second communication nodes;
the management system determining muting/unmuting settings for at least one of the first and second communication nodes based on the received attribute information; and
transmitting a muting/unmuting command to at least one of the first and second communication nodes based on the information about environmental noise levels and information about proximity of the first and second communication nodes.

1. A method of managing a communication group, wherein the communication group comprises a plurality of personal communication member nodes, the method comprising:receiving instructions from at least one of the plurality of personal communication member nodes to instantiate an intelligent agent;
instantiating the intelligent agent as a virtual assistant communication member node in the communication group; and
the instantiated intelligent agent recording and auditing communications among and between the plurality of personal communication member nodes in the communication group.

1. A method of operating a management system controlling communication node group comprising a plurality of communication nodes, wherein the plurality of communication nodes comprises a first node and a second node, the method comprising:the management system receiving attribute information from the plurality of communication nodes, wherein the attribute information comprises dynamic changes to the location of at least one of the first node and/or the second node;
the management system determining changes to communication group operation based on the received attribute information, the changes comprising changes to node speaker operation based on the proximity of the first and second nodes; and
the management system transmitting a group membership status notification to each communication node in the plurality of communication nodes;
wherein each group membership status notification provides a group membership status that controls participation of the receiving communication node in group communications, and further wherein a first node group membership status directs the first node to mute a first node speaker due to the proximity of the first node to the second node, and further wherein a second node group membership status directs the second node to mute a second node speaker due to the proximity of the first node to the second node.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a group communications application stored thereon, the group communications application including instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a communication device, cause the communication device to:establish a communication channel with an end user device;
retrieve registration information from the end user device over the communication channel, wherein the registration information includes at least one of a group for which the end user device is assigned to communicate, other end user devices for which the end user device is assigned to communicate, and an organization the end user device belongs to;
generate a device configuration request including the registration information;
send the device configuration request for delivery to a group management system over a packet-based network; and
responsive to receiving a particular device configuration, automatically configure a group communications application based on one or more parameters contained in the particular device configuration, wherein the particular device configuration is selected by the group management system based on the registration information.

1. A method of operating a group communication management system to control a plurality of communication node groups, each group comprising a plurality of communication nodes, wherein the plurality of communication nodes of a first communication node group comprises a first communication node and a second communication node, at least one of the first and second communication nodes being an end user device linked to an intermediate device, the method comprising:the management system receiving attribute information from the first communication node and the second communication node;
the management system determining communication node group membership based on the received attribute information;
the management system updating the communication node group membership based on changes to at least one of:
either of the first and second communication nodes operation; and
either of the first and second communication nodes membership in the first communication node group;
the management system controlling operation of the plurality of communication nodes based on the attribute information; and
the management system transmitting a group membership status notification to the communication group membership once membership of the first communication node group changes.

1. A method for end-to-end encryption of streaming group communications, the method comprising:a first end user device obtaining an encrypted group key, wherein the encrypted group key is generated by encrypting an unencrypted group key with a message key, the message key being generated from a chain key, the chain key being generated using a pairwise encryption process implemented by the first end user device and a second end user device
wherein the first and second end user devices are members of a communication group comprising a plurality of end user devices;
the first end user device generating an unencrypted first stream key;
the first end user device encrypting the unencrypted first stream key using the unencrypted group key to generate an encrypted first stream key;
the first end user device encrypting first stream data using the unencrypted first stream key to generate encrypted first stream data; and
the first end user device transmitting the encrypted first stream key and the encrypted stream data to the second end user device and at least one other member of the communication group; and
the first end user device updating the chain key each time a new message key is needed, such that the message key and chain key are ephemeral.

1. A method of enabling two-way audio communication between a first portable end user device and a communication network through an intermediate communication device linked to the communication network, the method comprising the intermediate communication device:establishing an audio communication connection between the portable first end user device and the intermediate communication device, wherein establishing the communication connection comprises:
receiving end user device data from each portable end user device in a portable end user device set, the portable end user device set comprising one or more portable end user devices, wherein the end user device data received from each portable end user device in the portable end user device set comprises:
end user device identifying data; and
end user device signal strength data;
identifying the first portable end user device in the portable end user device set based on the received end user device signal strength data from each portable end user device in the portable end user device set, wherein the first portable end user device is the portable end user device in the portable end user device set that is nearest to the intermediate communication device;
deriving first optical symbol reference data from the first portable end user device's identifying data;
pre-populating an intermediate communication device user interface to provide a graphical depiction corresponding to the first optical symbol reference data;
receiving one of the following inputs from the intermediate communication device user interface:
confirmation of the first optical symbol reference data; or
rejection of the first optical symbol reference data; and
initiating the audio communication connection with the first portable end user device when confirmation of the first optical symbol reference data is received, and
linking the first portable end user device and the communication network via the intermediate communication device for two-way audio communication using the audio communication connection;
wherein each portable end user device in the portable end user device set comprises:
a microphone,
a speaker,
user-controlled means for initiating broadcasting of end user device identifying data and end user device signal strength data, and
user-controlled means for controlling toggling between audio transmit and receive.

1. A method of operating a group communication system, the method comprising:receiving, at the group communication system, a communication group formation request from a requesting communication node, wherein a purpose for which the communication group is being formed is included with the communication group formation request;
transmitting from the group communication system to the requesting communication node a discovery message, wherein the discovery message comprises discovery data and the purpose, wherein the requesting communication node broadcasts the discovery data to a plurality of local communication nodes, and wherein each local communication node is located within a broadcasting range of the requesting communication node;
in response to the broadcasted discovery data, receiving, at the group communication system, an election message from an electing communication node, wherein the electing communication node is one of the plurality of local communication nodes; and
establishing a communication group, wherein the communication group comprises the requesting communication node and the electing communication node.

1. A communication device comprising:a housing including:
a generally cylindrical body including a speaker;
a generally circular cover coupled to the body, wherein the cover extends to cover substantially all of an upper portion of the body and is approximately concentric with the body on a central axis; and
a generally cylindrical mounting member that connects the cover to the body, wherein the mounting member is approximately concentric with the body and the cover on the central axis;
wherein the mounting member permits the cover to rotate relative to the body on the central axis between a first position and a second position;
further wherein the speaker provides an audio broadcast when the cover is in the first position; and
further wherein the speaker is silenced when the cover is in the second position.

1. A method of establishing a communication connection between an end user device and a computing system, the method comprising the computing system:receiving end user device identifying data transmitted by the end user device;
deriving optical symbol reference data from the received identifying data, wherein the optical symbol reference data corresponds to an optical symbol sequence comprising a plurality of optical symbols displayed on the end user device;
receiving optical symbol input data from a user interface, wherein the computing system comprises the user interface and the user interface comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) configured to permit a user to enter a color sequence;
comparing the optical symbol input data to the optical symbol reference data; and
initiating the communication connection with the end user device when the optical symbol input data matches the optical symbol reference data.

1. A method of operating a remote management system, the method comprising:receiving attribute data from a first communication node and a second communication node;
forming a communication node group comprising multiple members, wherein the multiple members comprise the first communication node and the second communication node;
receiving a group encryption key request from the first communication node to enable secure communications between the first communication node and the second communication node using one or more transport channels, wherein the group encryption key request is received via one or more control channels, further wherein the one or more control channels are separate from the one or more transport channels, further wherein the group encryption key request comprises identity data comprising at least one of:
the communication node group; and/or
the first communication node:
generating a group encryption key based on the received group encryption key request and further based on the membership of the first and second communication nodes in the communication node group;
encrypting the group encryption key using a first device key obtained from the first communication node to generate a first encrypted group encryption key;
encrypting the group encryption key using a second device key obtained from the second communication node to generate a second encrypted group encryption key wherein the first device key and the second device key are different; and
transferring the first encrypted group encryption key to the first communication node and transferring the second encrypted group encryption key to the group encryption key to the second communication node through the one or more control channels.

1. A communication device comprising:a housing comprising:
a body comprising a speaker and a microphone; and
a cover coupled to the body, wherein the cover extends to cover substantially all of an upper portion of the body;
wherein the cover is rotatable relative to the body between a first position and a second position;
wherein bidirectional communication using the speaker and microphone is enabled when the cover is in the first position;
wherein at least the speaker is silenced when the cover is in the second position; and
wherein the communication device generates a haptic signal when the cover is in the second position in lieu of audio that would otherwise be broadcast.

1. A method of transmitting audio data, the method comprising:a first communication device receiving over a low energy wireless communication link a plurality of audio data packet fragments from a second communication device, wherein each audio data packet fragment comprises audio data collected from an audio data stream;
the first communication device generating a plurality of audio data packets by assembling the received plurality of audio data packet fragments, wherein each audio data packet comprises a plurality of audio data packet fragments; and
the first communication device transmitting the plurality of audio data packets via a communication network.

1. A method of operating a management system to manage an audio transducer status of a secure communication node group comprising a plurality of communication nodes, wherein the plurality of communication nodes comprises a first communication node, wherein the first communication node comprises one or more audio transducers comprising a speaker, the method comprising:the management system receiving management attribute information comprising:
first communication node attribute information comprising first communication node secure group status information;
second communication node attribute information comprising second communication node secure group status information, wherein the second communication node is not one of the plurality of communication nodes; and
proximity attribute information about proximity of the first and second communication nodes;
the management system determining muting/unmuting settings for the first communication node based on the received management attribute information; and
transmitting a muting/unmuting command to the first communication node based on the management attribute information.

1. A method comprising:creating, at a remote management platform, an entry for a first wireless communication device in a routing table stored to a database, the entry identifying a default grouping of communication devices including the first wireless communication device and a set of additional communication devices, the default grouping established for the communication devices in the default grouping at manufacturing of the communication devices;
adding a bot, with a processing system capable of processing natural language commands and generating a response, to the set of additional communication devices of the default grouping;
receiving, at the remote management platform, a recorded audio message from the first wireless communication device;
identifying, at the remote management platform, the set of additional communication devices associated with the default grouping based on the entries in the routing table for the set of additional communication devices; and
transmitting, from the remote management platform, the recorded audio message to the set of additional communication devices.

1. A method of managing a communication group, wherein the communication group comprises a plurality of personal communication member nodes, the method comprising:receiving instructions from at least one of the plurality of personal communication member nodes to:
instantiate an intelligent agent; and
where to instantiate the intelligent agent;
instantiating the intelligent agent as a virtual assistant communication member node in the communication group; and
the instantiated intelligent agent performing a service for one or more personal communication member nodes in the communication group.

1. A method of managing a communication group, wherein the communication group comprises a plurality of personal communication member nodes, the method comprising:receiving instructions from at least one of the plurality of personal communication member nodes to instantiate an intelligent agent;
instantiating the intelligent agent as a virtual assistant communication member node in the communication group; and
the instantiated intelligent agent transcribing communications among and between the plurality of personal communication member nodes in the communication group.

1. A method for securing communication resources of a computing device, comprising:maintaining, by the computing device, a first operating environment that monitors a first set of resources of the computing device;
maintaining, by the computing device, a second operating environment that monitors a set of secure resources of the computing device comprising a communication interface between a voice messaging application, a speaker, and a microphone, wherein the first operating environment comprises a first virtual machine and the second operating environment comprises a second virtual machine, and wherein a system-on-chip (SoC) manages switches between the first operating environment and the second operating environment;
receiving, by the first operating environment, an LTE wireless communication comprising an audio messaging packet;
sending the audio messaging packet from the first operating environment to the second operating environment;
decoding, by the voice messaging application, the audio messaging packet; and
playing, by the speaker, the decoded audio messaging packet.

1. A method comprising:managing a first communication node from a plurality of communication nodes, including:
receiving, at the first communication nodes from a second communication node from the plurality of communication nodes, attribute information indicating a location of the second communication node;
determining, at the first communication node, audio transducer settings to apply at the first communication node based on the received attribute information; and
implementing, at the first communication node, the audio transducer settings.

1. A method comprising:transmitting, from an end user device to a computing device, end user device identifying data;
receiving, at the computing device, the end user device identifying data;
extracting, at the computing device, an optical symbol reference data from the end user device identifying data;
displaying, at the computing device, an optical symbol input on a user interface;
receiving input data from the user interface, wherein the input data includes a first color sequence of at least two individual colors;
comparing, at the computing device, the input data to the optical symbol reference data; and
requesting, from the computing device, a communication connection with the end user device if the input data matches the optical symbol reference data.

1. A method comprising:receiving, at an intermediate communication device, first end user device data from a first portable end user device, wherein the first end user device data comprises:
first end user device identifying data; and
first end user device relative proximity data;
receiving, at the intermediate communication device, second end user device data from a second portable end user device, wherein the second end user device data comprises:
second end user device identifying data; and
second end user device relative proximity data;
determining, at the intermediate communication device, based on the received first end user device relative proximity data and the received second end user device relative proximity data, a nearest end user device to the intermediate communication device, wherein the first portable end user device is determined to be the nearest end user device to the intermediate communication device;
extracting, at the intermediate communication device, a first optical symbol reference data from the first end user device identifying data, the first optical symbol reference data corresponding to a first color sequence displayed on a first plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the first portable end user device, wherein each LED of the first plurality of LEDs can display a plurality of colors;
receiving user input data indicating a target color sequence displayed on a respective plurality of LEDs on a target portable end user device to be connected to the intermediate communication device;
comparing the optical symbol reference data to the user input data; and
connecting the first portable end user device to a communication network through the intermediate communication device when the optical symbol reference data matches the user input data.

1. A method comprising:operating a group communication service for facilitating user communications within a plurality of communication groups, including coordinating communications between a plurality of communication nodes associated with a plurality of users in each communication group, the method comprising:
receiving, at the group communication service via a network, a spoken message from a communication node in a communication group, the spoken message associated with the control of a networked device;
determining, at the group communication service, that the spoken message is directed to a logic service;
responsive to determining that the spoken message is directed to the logic service, translating, at the group communication service, the spoken message into an input message in a data format corresponding to the logic service;
transferring, from the group communication service, the input message to the logic service for processing by the logic service;
receiving, at the group communication service, status information from the logic service indicative of a status of the networked device; and
sending, from the group communication service, an audible announcement to the communication nodes in the communication group expressive of the status of the networked device.

1. A method of operating a primary group communication service that facilitates voice communications between a group of end user devices, the group of end user devices comprising first and second end user devices, the method comprising:exchanging voice communications for the group of end user devices within the primary group communication service;
identifying, in a voice communication from the first end user device, a use of a key phrase, wherein the key phrase identifies a secondary service, the secondary service being different from and not a part of the primary group communication service; and
in response to identifying the key phrase, triggering the forwarding of at least a portion of the voice communication from the first end user device to the secondary service without leaving the primary group communication service.

1. A method of operating a remote management system, wherein the remote management system manages a first communication node group comprising a plurality of first group communication nodes, the method comprising:detecting failure of a plurality of first group management communication links between the remote management system and the first communication node group such that the remote management system has lost contact with the first communication node group, wherein the plurality of first group management communication links comprises a plurality of individual direct and disjoint communication connections between the remote management system and each respective first group communication node;
in response to detection of the failure of the plurality of first group management communication links;
determining, at the remote management system, a bypass communication node, wherein the bypass communication node is not one of the plurality of first group communication nodes;
establishing a first bypass management communication link between the remote management system and a bypass communication node;
transmitting instructions to the bypass communication node to establish a second bypass management communication link between the bypass communication node and a first communication node, wherein the plurality of first group communication nodes comprises the first communication node; and
the remote management system communicating with the first communication node through the first and second bypass management communication links.

1. A method of operating a group communication system, the method comprising:receiving, at the group communication system, user node communications from members of a communication group, wherein the communication group members comprise a plurality of user nodes;
distributing, at the group communication system, user node communications to respective members of the communication group;
receiving, at the group communication system, an audio content request from one or more of the plurality of user nodes;
launching, from the group communication system, a bot node as a member of the communication group configured to deliver audio content from an audio content source to the group communication system;
receiving, at the bot node, audio content from the audio content source;
delivering, from the bot node, the received audio content to the group communication system; and
distributing, from the group communication system, the received audio content to one or more of the plurality of user nodes, wherein the received audio content is merged with user node communications.