Heuristic determination of user origin

• US 7,636,785 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Vikutan, Alina, Arbogast, Brian E., Shahine, Omar H., Blinn, Arnold N., Stern, Pablo M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder; Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELFERVIG, TAYLOR A
• Application Number:
  US10/990,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20060106944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system and method for independently determining the geographical location of a user accessing a networked system. The method may include gathering a plurality of inputs about the user'"'"'s geographic location; weighting each input based on whether said input identifies a likelihood of true geographic location; determining whether each input verifies a geographic location specified by the user; and summing weights of the input factors verifying the specified geographic location. A system for independently determining the geographical location of a user includes a user login routine, a heuristic user geographic location determination engine, and at least one data store including a user profile record having a user specified geographic location.

Claims

1. A method of determining a geographical location of a user, comprising:

receiving profile information about a user including a user specified current location, the profile information including input data for at least a subset of location determination factors identifying the current geographical location of the user;

determining a user location by summing one or more location determination factors based on a weight assigned each location determination factor according to an likelihood such factor identifies a true geographic origin;

comparing a determined user location to the user specified location to determine the veracity of the user specified location;

altering the user experience based on said step of comparing;

recording the output of the comparing step; and

rewarding users for whom the output of the comparing step has been recorded to be a match over a threshold number of times.

2. The method of claim 1 where the step of altering provides a different user experience for users in different geographic locations.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the user experience includes providing multiple features and said different user experience comprises providing different sets of said multiple features for users based on a specific geographic region.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining comprises:

weighting each location determination factor based on whether said factor identifies a likelihood of true geographic location;

determining whether each factor verifies a geographic location specified by the user, and

summing weights of the input factors verifying the specified geographic location.

5. The method of claim 4 further including the step of determining the user is in the specified geographical location when said step of summing provides a value above a threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of determining is performed on a per country basis.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said step of weighting includes assigning a weight greater than or equal to said threshold to at least one of said factors.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of altering the user experience includes providing the user with an enhanced service when said step of comparing is a match.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of altering the user experience includes penalizing the user when said step of comparing is not a match.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of rewarding is performed after a probation period.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of altering is reversed after a user ceases use of an account for a specified period.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of altering the user experience comprises providing localized content to the user.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said location determination factors include a login IP address.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the login IP address is associated with a geographic location.

15. In a computing environment, a system comprising:

a user login routine including a login counter;

a heuristic user geographic location determination engine including code for instructing a processor to perform the steps of

receiving input data for at least a subset of said inputs in the form of user provided information identifying the current geographical location of the user, including a user-specified current geographic location;

weighting each input based on whether said input identifies a likelihood of true geographic location;

determining whether data received for one or more input verifies the user-specified geographic location specified by the user, and

summing weights of those input factors verifying the user-specified geographic location to determine the veracity of the user-specified entry; and

at least one data store including a user profile record having a user specified geographic location,

wherein the login counter is incremented by the determination engine when the determination outputs a geographic location matching the specified geographic location, and wherein an enhanced service is provided by the system when a value of the login counter value exceeds a threshold.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the login counter is decremented by the determination engine when the determination outputs a geographic location not matching the specified geographic location.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the login counter is decremented to a minimum of zero by the determination engine when the determination outputs a geographic location not matching the specified geographic location.

18. A method of providing an email service, comprising:

providing a network coupled system including code for providing an email service to users;

obtaining profile information about a user including a specified user current location and data concerning one or more user specified location factors;

heuristically determining a user current location when a user accesses the network coupled system

weighting each input based on whether said input identifies a likelihood of true geographic location;

determining whether data received for each input verifies the user-specified geographic location, and

summing weights of those input factors verifying the user-specified geographic location to determine the veracity of the user-specified entry;

comparing a determined user location to the user specified location; and

varying the email service based on said step of comparing, including

providing an enhanced feature set if the user specified location matches the determined user location and providing a reduced feature set if the user specified location does not match the determined user location, and

providing an improved quantity of service when the step of comparing is a match over a threshold number of times, or after a probationary period.

19. The method of claim 18 further including providing a base service, an intermediate level of service, and an enhanced service, and wherein said step of varying includes providing the intermediate level of service when said comparing step is a match over a first threshold number of times.

20. The method of claim 18 further wherein said step of varying includes providing the enhanced service after the probationary period when said comparing step is a match over a second threshold number of times.

21. The method of claim 18 further including the step of

providing a user location verification proof if the specified user location does not match the user location determined in said heuristically determining step.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the user verification proof includes sending a message to a user specified geographically verified mobile phone.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the user verification proof includes sending a short message service message with a country code matching the specified user location.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the method further includes the step of varying the email service upon verification of the user specified location.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the user verification proof includes sending a letter to a postal address in the user specified location including a location verification key.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the user verification proof includes obtaining credit card information verifying the user specified location.