Method and system to determine the geographic location of a network user
First Claim
1. A method for determining a geographic location for a network user, comprising:
- receiving a plurality of mapping requests requesting one or more maps of defined geographic locations from a plurality of other network users identified by a plurality of associated network addresses;
associating a defined geographic location with an associated network address for each of the plurality of mapping requests;
receiving a request for a geographic location for the network user having a network address;
determining an associated network address that is similar to the network address; and
providing the defined geographic location associated with the similar network address as the geographic location for the network user, wherein the providing comprises determining a confidence factor for the geographic location.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method to determine the geographic location of a network user based on a plurality of network addresses and a plurality of mapping request information. The method involves receiving a plurality of mapping requests from a plurality of network users identified by a plurality of network addresses. A geographic location of a network user associated with a network address is then derived based on the plurality of network addresses and the plurality of mapping requests. In one embodiment, the network address is an Internet Protocol (IP) address. The method may be implemented, in one embodiment, as part of a system that executes as software on a computer.
200 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for determining a geographic location for a network user, comprising:
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receiving a plurality of mapping requests requesting one or more maps of defined geographic locations from a plurality of other network users identified by a plurality of associated network addresses; associating a defined geographic location with an associated network address for each of the plurality of mapping requests; receiving a request for a geographic location for the network user having a network address; determining an associated network address that is similar to the network address; and providing the defined geographic location associated with the similar network address as the geographic location for the network user, wherein the providing comprises determining a confidence factor for the geographic location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for determining a geographic location for an Internet user, comprising:
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receiving a plurality of mapping requests requesting one or more maps of defined geographic locations from a plurality of other Internet users identified by a plurality of associated Internet Protocol (IP) addresses; associating a defined geographic location with an associated IP address for each of the plurality of mapping requests; receiving a request for a geographic location for the IP user having a IP address; determining an associated IP address that is similar to the IP address; and providing the defined geographic location associated with the similar IP address as the geographic location for the IP user, wherein the providing comprises determining a confidence factor for the geographic location. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations for determining a geographic location for a network user, comprising:
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receiving a plurality of mapping requests requesting one or more maps of defined geographic locations from a plurality of other network users identified by a plurality of associated network addresses; associating a defined geographic location with an associated network address for each of the plurality of mapping requests; receiving a request for a geographic location for the network user having a network address; determining an associated network address that is similar to the network address; providing the defined geographic location associated with the similar network address as the geographic location for the network; and determining a confidence factor for the geographic location. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A system comprising:
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means for receiving a plurality of mapping requests requesting one or more maps of defined geographic location from a plurality of other network users identified by a plurality of associated network addresses; means for associating a defined geographic location with an associated network address for each of the plurality of mapping requests; means for receiving a request for a geographic location for the network user having a network address; means for determining an associated network address that is similar to the network address; means for providing the defined geographic location associated with the similar network address as the geographic location for the network user; and means for determining a confidence factor for the geographic location. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification