Patent ID: 7451233
Filing Date: 2008-11-11
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for determining a geographic location of an Internet user, comprising: a. receiving at least one of an IP address, a host name, or a domain name associated with the Internet user; b. obtaining one or more intermediate hosts of a route that connects a source to the Internet user; c. storing in a first database a plurality of geographic names and a plurality of variations for each of tie plurality of geographic names; d. determining a geographic location for the one or more intermediate hosts of the route by performing the steps of: e. assigning a confidence level to the determined geographic location of the one or more intermediate hosts; f. determining the geographic location of the Internet user comprising a city of the Internet user using the route, the determined geographic location of the one or more intermediate hosts, and the confidence level assigned to the determined geographic location of the one or more intermediate hosts; g. assigning a confidence level to the determined geographic location of the Internet user; and h. storing the geographic location of the Internet user and the confidence level assigned to the determined geographic location of the Internet user in a second database.