Geographically constrained network services

• US 20080132214A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dennis J. Dupray, Sheldon Goldberg
• Original Assignee: Dennis J. Dupray, Sheldon Goldberg
• Inventors: Goldberg, Sheldon, Dupray, Dennis J.
• Application Number:
  US10/857,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20080132214A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/15 Information service where the information is dependent on the location of the subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for determining the geographic location of a user communicating on a communications network such as the Internet. In one embodiment, a provider of a product or service: (a) receives the user'"'"'s phone number (or other identification for contacting the user'"'"'s station), and (b) supplies the user'"'"'s station with a distinctive identifier. The provider then supplies a location determining service with the user'"'"'s phone number (or other identification). A phone call is made to the phone number by the location determining service for retrieving the distinctive identifier from the network station having the phone number. If the distinctive identifier is retrieved, and the location determining service determines that the user'"'"'s station is within an appropriate geographical area (or not within an inappropriate area), then the provider can provide the requested product or service to the user.

Claims

1. A method for determining the location of a user requesting services from a network site of a communications network, comprising:

receiving, at the network site, user information for identifying the user, and a first approximate location of the user;

determining, using the first approximate location of the user, a location service provider providing coverage for the first approximate user location;

causing the user'"'"'s network station to call a predetermined telephone number for identifying the user;

receiving the user'"'"'s call at the predetermined telephone number, and;

(a) capturing the user'"'"'s telephone number, and (b) obtaining identification information for identifying the user;

transmitting the user'"'"'s telephone number to one of the telephony location service providers selected for determining a location of the user;

receiving from the selected telephony location service provider, a more precise location of the user; and

determining services to be provided to the user on the communications network according to the more precise location.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the services for providing to the user includes one or more of:

gambling services, taxation services, services for the distribution of software, advertising presentations, and information related to locations within the user'"'"'s local that the user is expected to find of interest.