GEOLOCATION ENGINE

• US 20130179544A1
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Geocomply Solutions Inc.
• Original Assignee: Geocomply Global Inc.
• Inventors: Sainnsbury, Anna
• Granted Patent: US 9,413,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention for determining a geo-location for a device in communication with a network service provider begin with installing a mechanism for collecting geolocation data at a client device. The mechanism may be implemented as a mobile app, client application, browser plug-in, or other mechanism. The mechanism may collect geolocation data from multiple sources, including the device itself and other devices within the vicinity. The mechanism may also collect data regarding selected programs that may be installed on the client device. The geolocation data and program data may be transmitted back to a server for processing. The server may determine whether a geolocation is acceptable by determining a geolocation from the geolocation data, a likelihood of accuracy and/or trust score, as well as determining if any undesirable programs are stored on the client device. A determination regarding the geolocation of the client device if made, a white list of devices may be updated, and the geolocation results are provided the network service provider, either directly by the server or through the mechanism on the client device

Claims

1. A method for determining a geo-location, comprising:

collecting geolocation data associated with a first device by a module stored in memory and executed by a processor on the first device, the first device in communication with a first server which provides a service over a network;

identifying whether one or more selected programs are present at the first device;

transmitting the geolocation data and programs and a list of the present selected programs to a second server;

receiving a geolocation message from the second server; and

providing the received geolocation message to the first server

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geolocation data is collected by a client application installed in the first device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a mobile device and the geolocation data is collected by a mobile application installed on the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the geolocation data is collected by a network browser plug-in installed on a network browser on the first device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting includes determining geolocation data for one or more remote devices in the proximity of the first device based on communication with the one or more remote devices and the first device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting data includes collecting device data by the network at the location of the first device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting data includes collecting building information from within the building by the first device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the programs include a proxy.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the programs include a screen sharing program.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the geolocation message is in the form of a binary message indicating a pass or fail of the first device regarding a geolocation requirement.

11. A method for determining a geolocation at a server, comprising:

receiving geolocation data from a first client device in communication with a first server which provides a service over a network, the geolocation data received by a second server and associated with the first device;

processing the geolocation data associated with the first device to determine a geolocation for the first device

determining if the geolocation satisfies a threshold associated with a geolocation requirement;

determining a geolocation status based on the threshold determination; and

transmitting the geolocation status to the first client.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the geolocation data includes information provided from or more remote devices in the proximity of the first device based on communication with the one or more remote devices and the first device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein determining includes determining a trust score for the geolocation.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the location includes determining a likelihood of accuracy for the geolocation.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the geolocation is inside a building.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the determination if the geolocation satisfies a threshold includes determining if one of one or more selected programs is installed on the first device

17. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the geolocation status includes updating a white list if the threshold is satisfied.

18. A computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for determining a geo-location, the method comprising:

collecting geolocation data associated with a first device by a module stored in memory and executed by a processor on the first device, the first device in communication with a first server which provides a service over a network;

identifying whether one or more selected programs are present at the first device;

transmitting the geolocation data and programs and a list of the present selected programs to a second server;

receiving a geolocation message from the second server; and

providing the received geolocation message to the first server.

19. A computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for determining a geolocation at a server, the method comprising:

receiving geolocation data from a first client device in communication with a first server which provides a service over a network, the geolocation data received by a second server and associated with the first device;

processing the geolocation data associated with the first device to determine a geolocation for the first device

determining if the geolocation satisfies a threshold associated with a geolocation requirement;

determining a geolocation status based on the threshold determination; and

transmitting the geolocation status to the first client.