Patent ID: 7296088
Filing Date: 2007-11-13
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method of determining the location of an Internet host using a computer system, comprising the following computer executable acts: obtaining route information relating to one or more network paths between a host IP address associated with the Internet host and the computer system, wherein the network paths comprise the computer system, the Internet host, and at least one intermediate network node, and wherein the route information comprises a plurality of router labels associated with the host IP address and the at least one intermediate network node; extracting one or more location codes from the route information corresponding to a router label associated with one of the Internet host and one or more intermediate network nodes proximate the Internet host; consulting a data store comprising at least one data set having location codes and corresponding location information; obtaining location information from the data store corresponding to the one or more location codes associated with the one of the Internet host and the one or more intermediate network nodes proximate the Internet host; providing a location estimate of the location of the Internet host according to the location information from the data store corresponding to the location code; determining a dispersion metric representative of the accuracy of the location estimate of the location of the Internet host and selectively providing the location estimate; and selectively correcting the location estimate according to the dispersion metric.