Method for routing data packets using an IP address based on geo position

• US 8,085,813 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lightwaves Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lightwaves Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Melick, Bruce D., Snyder, David M., Baych, Leslie D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Yong
• Application Number:
  US11/318,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20060165015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,195 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 342/357.06, 370/389, 370/392, 370/395.1, 370/395.52, 370/395.55, 370/471, 370/475, 701/213
• US Class Current: 370/473
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/122 by minimising distances, e.g. by selecting a route with minimum of number of hops
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

Method of routing data over a network in which contact is made with a home network to determine the reported geo-position, using this geo-position to transmit data to the device over a path through a node in which the node reads the geo-position, accesses a list of possible recipients and their geo-positions, compares its location to the positions, selects a recipient based at least in part on the proximity of the recipient to the device, and transmits the data over the best path. Eventually, the device becomes the recipient. A geo-position may be transmitted as part of an IP address, or as geo-position data or XML tagged geo-position information contained in a data packet or IP addressed message or IP addressed voice calls (VoIP). The geo-position information can be generated from a GPS receiver. This method and/or IP address may be used in a method of doing business in which the geo-position is used to identify the source and location for delivery. This information may be incorporated into a purchase order or confirmation receipt.

Claims

1. A method of routing data stored on a first device over a telecommunications network to a second device wherein the transmission path is based in part on geographic position, the method comprising:

contacting a second device'"'"'s home network server over the transmission path between the first device and the second device'"'"'s home network server, wherein the second device geographic position is stored as at least a part of a modified internet protocol address on the home network server and periodically updated after the location of the second device changes;

sending a request from the first device for the second device geographic position to the home network server;

receiving at the first device, the second device geographic position as a part of the geo-position based internet protocol address from the home network server over the transmission path into memory;

transmitting the data and second device geographic position as a part of the geo-position based internet protocol address from the first device over the transmission path to a node having a node geographic position, wherein the node reads the second device geographic position, accesses a recipient geographic position for possible recipients, accesses the node geographic position, compares the node geographic position with the second device geographic position and selects a recipient based at least in part on the geographic proximity of the recipient to the second device; and

transmitting the data from the node to the recipient over the transmission path.

2. The method of routing data stored on a first device over a telecommunications network to a second device wherein the transmission path is based in part on geographic position of claim 1 wherein the transmission path is wired.

3. The method of routing data stored on a first device over a telecommunications network to a second device wherein the transmission path is based in part on geographic position of claim 1 wherein the transmission path is wireless.

4. The method of routing data stored on a first device over a telecommunications network to a second device wherein the transmission path is based in part on geographic position of claim 1 wherein the transmission path includes wireless and wired portions.

5. The method of routing data stored on a first device over a telecommunications network to a second device wherein the transmission path is based in part on geographic position of claim 1 wherein the second device geographic position is supplemented with a device identifier and wherein the device identifier identifies the second device in a manner independent from the geographic position of the second device.

6. The method of routing data stored on a first device over a telecommunications network to a second device wherein the transmission path is based in part on geographic position of claim 1 wherein the second device is the recipient.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second device is a mobile device.

8. A method of routing data stored on a first device over a communications network to a second device wherein the transmission path is based in part on geographic position, the method comprising:

requesting a machine address associated with the second device over the communications network, wherein the second device geographic position is stored as at least a part of the machine address on the second device'"'"'s home network server and periodically updated after the location of the second device changes;

determining a geographic position of the second device at least partially based on the geo-position based machine address associated with the second device received from the home network server;

transmitting the data and second device geographic position from the first device over the transmission path to a node having a node geographic position, wherein the node reads the geographic position of the second device, accesses a recipient geographic position for possible recipients, accesses the node geographic position, compares the node geographic position with the geographic position of the second device and selects a recipient based at least in part on geographic proximity of the recipient to the second device; and

transmitting the data from the node to the recipient over the transmission path.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the second device is a mobile device.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the geographic position comprises latitude, longitude and altitude.

11. A method of routing data stored on at least one second device over a telecommunications network to a first device wherein the transmission path is based in part on geographic position, the method comprising:

contacting a second device'"'"'s home network server, wherein a second device geographic position is stored as at least a part of a modified internet protocol address on the home network server and periodically updated as location of the second device changes;

sending a request from the first device for the geo-position based internet protocol address of the second device to the home network server;

receiving at the first device into memory, a list of second device recipients'"'"' geo-position based internet protocol addresses chosen in part by geographic proximity to the first device by the home network server;

transmitting a request for data from the first device to a closest second device recipient from the list of second device recipients; and

transmitting the data stored on the second device to the first device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the transmission path is wired.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the transmission path is wireless.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the transmission path includes wireless and wired portions.

15. A method of routing data stored on at least one second device over a network to a first device wherein the transmission path is based in part on geographic position, the method comprising:

contacting a second device'"'"'s home network server, wherein the second device geographic position is stored as at least a part of a modified internet protocol address on the home network server and periodically updated as location of the second device changes;

sending a request from the first device for the second device geo-position based internet protocol address to the home network server;

receiving at the first device into memory, a possible list of second device recipients'"'"' geo-position based internet protocol addresses that has been chosen in part by geographic proximity by the home network server;

transmitting a request for data from the first device to the closest second device recipient from the possible list of second device recipients; and

transmitting the data stored on the second device to the first device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the internet protocol addresses include geopositions.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the second device is a mobile device.

18. A method of routing data stored on a first device over a network to at least one second device wherein the transmission path is based in part on geographic position, the method comprising:

accessing a list of at least one second device recipient modified internet protocol address and corresponding geographic position, wherein the geographic position is stored as at least a part of the modified internet protocol address on the second device'"'"'s home network server and periodically updated as location of the second device changes;

determining a shortest distance from the first device to each of at least one second device in said list; and

transmitting the data stored on the first device to a geographically closest second device in said list.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising updating the list as position of the at least one second device changes.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the list is stored on a home network server of the second device.