Determining geographic locations of private network Internet users

• US 20060224752A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanjay M. Parekh
• Original Assignee: Sanjay M. Parekh
• Inventors: Parekh, Sanjay M.
• Application Number:
  US11/233,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224752A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

A method of determining a geographic location of an Internet user in a private network involves use of an internal server placed within the private network. The internal server determines the geographic location of the Internet user and returns this information to the requestor. The internal server can determine the geographic location in any suitable manner, such as through a table mapping the Internet user'"'"'s internal address to external address or a database of Internet users'"'"' addresses. Preferably, the Internet user requesting information from a web site is redirected by that site to the internal server and then the internal server, after it determines the geographic location, redirects the Internet user back to the web site in order to supply the site with the geographic location information.

Claims

1. A method for resolving a domain name inquiry to assist in gathering a geographic location of an Internet user, comprising:

(a) receiving the domain name inquiry, the domain name inquiry being issued by the Internet user;

(b) determining if the inquiry originated from within a private network;

(c) resolving the inquiry by returning a first IP address if the inquiry did not originate from within the private network, the first IP address being associated with an external server located outside of the private network;

(d) resolving the inquiry by returning a second IP address if the inquiry did originate from within the private network, the second IP address being associated with an internal server located inside the private network; and

(e) wherein the internal server and the external server are for determining the geographic location of the Internet user and for making this geographic location information available.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein receiving the inquiry on the domain name comprises receiving the inquiry at a domain name server.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the resolving by returning the first IP address and the resolving by returning the second IP address are performed by a domain name server.