User Location Dependent DNS Lookup

• US 20100318631A1
• Filed: 06/12/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shukla, Ashish
• Granted Patent: US 8,060,579 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/69 using geographic information, e.g. room number
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]

Abstract

A system and method which may directly resolve a URL into the IP address of a web server running a regional website of a web service provider based on a user'"'"'s geographic location. A user may type a URL of a website in his browser. A user location analyzer may decide the user'"'"'s geographic location according to his IP address. With the user'"'"'s geographic location, a DNS server may resolve the URL to a regional website of a web service provider which provides services specific to the user'"'"'s geographic location. Consequently, the user may be presented a regional website of a web service provider without delays caused by re-directing, and save the user'"'"'s time and effort to look for a regional website himself.

Claims

1. A method of translating a name of a web server into an IP address, wherein the Web server is one of a plurality of web servers associated with a web service provider and wherein each of the web servers runs a regional or general website of the web service provider, the method comprising:

storing an IP address of a web server together with the geographic region its services are specific to;

receiving a user request for accessing a first web server associated with the web service provider, wherein the user request includes identity information of the web service provider;

obtaining the user'"'"'s geographic location; and

searching with the identity information of the web service provider and the user'"'"'s geographic location to determine an IP address of a web server which is associated with the web service provider and runs a regional website providing services specific to the user'"'"'s geographic location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an IP address of a web server running a general website of the web server provider when there is no match for the user'"'"'s geographic location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user request is a URL request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s geographic location is obtained from the user request.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user'"'"'s geographic location is obtained from the user'"'"'s IP address.

6. An apparatus for translating a name of a web server into an IP address, wherein the web server is one of a plurality of web servers associated with a web service provider and wherein each of the web servers runs a regional or general website of the web service provider, the apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of IP addresses, wherein each of the IP addresses is stored together with a geographic region its services are specific to;

a user location analyzer for obtaining a user'"'"'s geographic location; and

a control unit for receiving a user'"'"'s request for accessing a first web server associated with the web service provider, and searching the memory for an IP address of a web server associated with the web service provider and matching the user'"'"'s geographic location.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the user request includes identity information of the web service provider.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit searches the memory with the user'"'"'s geographic location and the identity information of the web service provider.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control unit provides an IP address of a general website of the web service provider when there is no match for the user'"'"'s geographic location in the memory.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the user request is a URL request.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the user'"'"'s geographic location is obtained from the user request.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the user'"'"'s geographic location is obtained from the user'"'"'s IP address.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having instructions which, when performed by a computer, perform a method of translating a name of a web server into an IP address, wherein the web server is one of a plurality of web servers associated with a web service provider and wherein each of the web servers runs a regional or general website of the web service provider, the method comprising:

receiving a user request for accessing a first web server of the web service provider, wherein the user request includes identity information of the web service provider;

obtaining the user'"'"'s geographic location; and

searching for an IP address with the identity information and the user'"'"'s geographic location.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

providing an IP address of a web server running a general website of the web server provider when there is no match for the user'"'"'s geographic location.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the user request is a URL request.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the user'"'"'s geographic location is obtained from the user request.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the user'"'"'s geographic location is obtained from the user request.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the user'"'"'s geographic location is obtained from the user'"'"'s IP address.