Method and apparatus for estimating a geographic location of a networked entity
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method to estimate a geographic location associated with a network address, the method including:
- performing at least one data collection operation to obtain information pertaining to a network address;
processing of the retrieved information to identify a plurality of geographic locations potentially associated with the network address, and to attach a confidence factor to each of the plurality of geographic locations; and
selecting an estimated geographic location from the plurality of geographic locations as being a best estimate of a true geographic location of the network address, where the selection of the estimated geographic location is based upon a degree of confidence-factor weighted agreement within the plurality of geographic locations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and an apparatus operates to associate a geographic location associated with a network address. At least one data collection operation is performed to obtain information pertaining to a network address. The retrieved information is processed to identify a plurality of geographic locations potentially associated with the network address, and to attach a confidence factor to each of the plurality of geographic locations. An estimated geographic location is selected from the plurality of geographic locations as being a best estimate of a true geographic location of the network address, where the selection of the estimated geographic location is based upon a degree of confidence-factor weighted agreement within the plurality of geographic locations.
324 Citations
135 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method to estimate a geographic location associated with a network address, the method including:
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performing at least one data collection operation to obtain information pertaining to a network address;
processing of the retrieved information to identify a plurality of geographic locations potentially associated with the network address, and to attach a confidence factor to each of the plurality of geographic locations; and
selecting an estimated geographic location from the plurality of geographic locations as being a best estimate of a true geographic location of the network address, where the selection of the estimated geographic location is based upon a degree of confidence-factor weighted agreement within the plurality of geographic locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A system to estimate a geographic location associated with a network address, the system including:
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a plurality of data collection agents to perform at least one data collection operation to obtain information pertaining to a network address;
a plurality of geographic location processes to process the retrieved information to identify a plurality of geographic locations potentially associated with the network address, and to attach a confidence factor to each of the plurality of geographic locations; and
a selection process to select an estimated geographic location from the plurality of geographic locations as being a best estimate of a true geographic location of the network address, where the selection process utilizes a degree of confidence-factor weighted agreement within the plurality of geographic locations to select the estimated geographic location. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133)
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134. A machine-readable medium storing a sequence of instructions that, when executed by machine, caused machine to:
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perform at least one data collection operation to obtain information pertaining to a network address;
process the retrieved information to identify a plurality of geographic locations potentially associated with the network address, and attach a confidence factor to each of the plurality of geographic locations; and
select an estimated geographic location from the plurality of geographic locations as being a best estimate of a true geographic location of the network address, where the selection of the estimated geographic location is based upon a degree of confidence-factor weighted agreement within the plurality of geographic locations.
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135. A system to estimate a geographic location associated with a network address, the system including:
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first means for performing at least one data collection operation to obtain information pertaining to a network address;
second means for processing the retrieved information to identify a plurality of geographic locations potentially associated with the network address, and for attaching a confidence factor to each of the plurality of geographic locations; and
third means for selecting an estimated geographic location from the plurality of geographic locations as being a best estimate of a true geographic location of the network address, where the third means utilizes a degree of confidence-factor weighted agreement within the plurality of geographic locations to select the estimated geographic location.
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Specification