Geographically Constrained Network Services
First Claim
1. A method for determining the location of a user by locating a network station residing with the user for providing network communications, comprising performing the following steps at a time when the location is desired:
- receiving, via a first network communication from the network station, first identification information for identifying the user or the network station;
subsequently transmitting, via a second network communication, second identification information to the network station for storing thereon and distinctively identifying the user or the network station;
subsequently receiving, from the network station via a third network communication, the second identification information at a predetermined network site;
using the received second identification information to identify the first identification information;
subsequently transmitting, via a fourth network communication, a request for determining a location of the network station when the first identification information is identified, wherein the request is determined using a first approximate location of the network station; and
receiving, in response to the request, a fifth network communication for providing a more precise location of the user than the first approximate location to a predetermined network site.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system arc disclosed for determining the geographic location of a user communicating on a communications network such as the Internet. In one embodiment, a provider of a product or service: (a) receives the user'"'"'s phone number (or other identification for contacting the user'"'"'s station), and (b) supplies the user'"'"'s station with a distinctive identifier. The provider then supplies a location determining service with the user'"'"'s phone number (or other identification). A phone call is made to the phone number by the location determining service for retrieving the distinctive identifier from the network station having the phone number. If the distinctive identifier is retrieved and the location determining service determines that the user'"'"'s station is within an appropriate geographical area (or not within an inappropriate area), then the provider can provide the requested product or service to the user.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for determining the location of a user by locating a network station residing with the user for providing network communications, comprising performing the following steps at a time when the location is desired:
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receiving, via a first network communication from the network station, first identification information for identifying the user or the network station; subsequently transmitting, via a second network communication, second identification information to the network station for storing thereon and distinctively identifying the user or the network station; subsequently receiving, from the network station via a third network communication, the second identification information at a predetermined network site; using the received second identification information to identify the first identification information; subsequently transmitting, via a fourth network communication, a request for determining a location of the network station when the first identification information is identified, wherein the request is determined using a first approximate location of the network station; and receiving, in response to the request, a fifth network communication for providing a more precise location of the user than the first approximate location to a predetermined network site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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10. A method for determining the location of a user by locating a network station residing with the user for providing network communications, comprising:
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receiving, via a first communication on a network from the network station, first identification information for identifying the user or the network station, and a first approximate location of the user; subsequently transmitting, via a second communication on a network, second identification information to the network station for storing thereon and distinctively identifying the user or the network station; receiving, from the network station via a third communication on a network, the second identification information for identifying the user or the network station; using the second identification information to identify the first identification information; transmitting, via a fourth communication on a network, a request for determining a location of the network station when the first identification information is identified, wherein the request is determined using the first approximate location; and receiving, in response to the request, a fifth communication on a network providing a more precise location of the user than the first approximate location.
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Specification