System and method for verifying access based on a determined geographic location of a subscriber of a service provided via a computer network

• US 20060128397A1
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bamtech LLC (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: MLB Advanced Media, L.P. (Major League Baseball)
• Inventors: Willis, Shadeed S., Choti, Joseph Francis, Shaffer, Justin Alexander, Sun, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

A system and method relates to limiting the presentation of rules based events based on the geographic location of computer users attempting to view the rules based event via a network. The method includes receiving over a network a request to view a rules based event at a computer, obtaining a first estimate of geographic location of the computer where the first estimate of geographic location includes a first confidence determination, and obtaining a second estimate of geographic location of the computer if the first confidence determination is less than an established confidence level. The first and second estimates of geographic location define a composite estimated geographic location of the computer. The method further includes retrieving information on a geographic location of the rules based event, comparing the retrieved information on the geographic location of the rules based event, with the composite estimated geographic location of the computer, and providing access to the rules based event based on access rules and the comparison of the retrieved information on the geographic location of the rules based event and the estimated geographic location of the computer. The system and method can also apply to promotions, sweepstakes, contests, fantasy games, sale of goods and/or services, and targeted advertising.

Claims

1. A system for verifying access to a network based on geographic location of a subscriber of a service provided over a computer network, the system comprising:

a subscriber computer physically located in a geographic location;

a service computer providing a subscription service to the subscriber computer via a network, wherein the subscription service is limited based on the geographic location of the subscriber computer; and

an event interface coupled to the service computer, wherein the event interface receives event information for a rules based event either as the rules based event is occurring or as the rules based event is requested, as applicable, wherein the subscription service includes communicating event information to the subscriber computer,

wherein the service computer verifies access by the subscriber computer to the subscription service based on the geographic location of the subscriber computer, wherein the geographic location of the subscriber computer is estimated using a first estimation process and, if the first estimation process produces an estimate having a confidence level below a determined threshold, a second estimation process.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein access to the subscription service comprises entry into any one of a promotion, contest, sweepstakes, and fantasy game.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the service computer provides the subscriber computer with an option to purchase any one of goods and services.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein purchases include purchase rules that vary depending on the geographic location of the subscriber computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the service computer provides the subscriber computer with targeted marketing based on the estimate of the geographic location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second estimation process determines geographic location based on credit card number and billing address.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second estimation process determines geographic location based on product registration information.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second estimation process determines geographic location based on entries in a table containing electronic mail addresses and geographic areas corresponding to the electronic mail addresses.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographic location estimation is not made if a customer corresponding to the subscriber computer is identified as a preferred customer.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an event capturing sub-system coupled to the service computer and event interface via a second network different than the network through which the subscriber computer receives the subscription service.

11. A method of limiting the presentation of rules based events based on the geographic location of computer users attempting to view the rules based events via a network, the method comprising:

receiving over a network a request to view a rules based event at a computer;

obtaining a first estimate of geographic location of the computer, wherein the first estimate of geographic location includes a first confidence determination;

obtaining a second estimate of geographic location of the computer if the first confidence determination is less than an established confidence level, the first and second estimates of geographic location defining a composite estimated geographic location of the computer;

retrieving information on a geographic location of the rules based event;

comparing the retrieved information on the geographic location of the rules based event with the composite estimated geographic location of the computer; and

providing access to the rules based event based on access rules and the comparison of the retrieved information on the geographic location of the rules based event and the estimated geographic location of the computer.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising obtaining a third estimate of geographic location of the computer if the second estimate of the geographic location of the computer has a second confidence determination less than the established confidence level.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first estimate of the geographic location and the second estimate of the geographic location are combined to form a combined estimate of the geographic location.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the second estimate of the geographic location comprises an address verification procedure, which obtains geographic information from a cached table.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the second estimate of the geographic location comprises an address verification procedure, which obtains geographic information from product registration information.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the second estimate of the geographic location comprises an address verification procedure which obtains geographic information from a verifiable payment method billing information.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the second estimate of the geographic location is used to update information used in the first estimate of the geographic location.

18. A method of determining the geographic location of a subscriber of a service provided over a computer network, the method comprising:

obtaining a first estimate of geographic location of a subscriber computer, wherein the first estimate of geographic location includes a first confidence factor;

performing an address verification operation if the first confidence factor does not exceed a first threshold, wherein the address verification operation results in a second estimate of geographic location of the subscriber computer, wherein the second estimate of geographic location includes a second confidence factor; and

applying blackout rules to the subscriber computer based on a rules based event selected at the subscriber computer and the first estimate of geographic location, if the first confidence factor exceeds the first threshold, or the second estimate of geographic location, if the second confidence factor exceeds a second threshold and the first confidence factor does not exceed the first threshold.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the address verification operation comprises obtaining address information from product registration information.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the address verification operation comprises obtaining address information from product purchase information.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the address verification operation comprises obtaining address information from a verifiable payment method.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the address verification operation comprises obtaining address information from a cached internet protocol (IP) table.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the address verification operation comprises performing a wallet lookup.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the rules based event is a sporting event, concert, or other subscription event.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the rules based event is a promotion.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the promotion includes any one of sweepstakes, contests, and fantasy games.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the rules based event system is a sale of goods, services, or both.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the rules based event system is targeted marketing.