Storing subscriber location indication at DNS, to enable location specific provision of internet content
View Patent ↗Methods, apparatus, and software for accessing location based Internet services by automatically populating DNS tables with subscriber location information. The DNS tables are updated responsive to information provided on subscriber call set-up. The location may be derived directly for the content of the call set-up, or may be derived in conjunction with one or more pre-existing databases. Ideally the DNS entry is a mapping from IP address (or subnet address) to location, though a mapping from domain name to location will also be effective. When a location based service is requested by a subscriber, the requested service may interrogate the DNS table to retrieve the requesting user's location without requiring further subscriber intervention.
1. A method of providing intrnet access comprising the steps of:
receiving from a subscriber a connection request comprising an entity identification;
deriving a location indication associated with the subscriber responsive to the entity identification; and
causing an association between the location indication and the subscriber a to be created in a DNS table so the location indication is available to a content provider being accessed by the subscriber.
2. A method according to claim 1 additionally comprising the step of:
making available the location indication responsive to a DNS request.
3. A method according to claim 1 in which the name is an internet protocol address.
4. A method according to claim 3 in which the internet protocol address is a subnet address.
5. A method according claim 1 in which the entity identification comprises at least one of: a calling number identification, a called number identification, an exchange modem identification, an incoming trunk group identification, a mobile handset location identification, a subscriber location identification, and a subscriber account identification.
6. A method according to a claim 1 wherein the stop of deriving comprises:
where the request comprises a subscriber location identification, translating the subscriber location identification to a location indication in a pre-determined format;
where the request comprises a calling line identification, translating the calling line identification to a location indication in a pre-determined format by means of at least one database containing pre-determined translation information; and
where the quest comprises an exchange modem identification, translating the exchange modem identification to a location indication in a pre-determined format by means of at least one database containing pre-determined translation information.
7. A method of providing Internet content comprising the steps of:
receiving a content request from a subscriber;
requesting, from a DNS, a location indication associated with the subscriber; and
providing content to the subscriber responsive to the location indication and the content request.
8. A method according to claim 7 in which the content request comprises a requesting address and in winch the step of requesting comprises requesting, from the DNS, a location indication associated with the requesting address.
9. A method according to claim 7 additionally comprising the step of:
where the DNS contains no location indication associated with the content request, providing default content to the subscriber responsive to the content request.
10. An Internet service provider apparatus comprising:
a port for receiving from a subscriber a connection request comprising an entity identification;
a component for arranged for deriving a location indication associated with the subscriber responsive to the entity identification; and
a component for causing an association between the location indication and the subscriber to be created in a DNS table so the location indication is available to a content provider being accessed by the subscriber.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10 additionally comprising:
a component for making available the location responsive to a DNS request.
12. An Internet service provider network comprising apparatus according to claim 10 .
13. Internet content provider apparatus comprising:
a component for receiving a content request from a subscriber;
a component for requesting from a DNS an location indication associated with the subscriber;
a component for providing content to the subscriber responsive to the location indication and the content request.
14. Apparatus according to claim 13 additionally comprising:
a component for, where the DNS contains no location indication associated with the subscriber, providing default content to the subscriber responsive to the content request.
15. A program for a computer on a machine-readable medium arranged to provide internet access and comprising:
code for receiving from a subscriber a connection request comprising an entity identification;
code for deriving a location indication associated with the subscriber responsive to the entity identification; and
code causing an association between the location indication and the subscriber to be created in a DNS table so the location indication is available to a content provider being accessed by the subscriber.
16. A program for a computer on a machine-readable medium arranged to providing Internet content and comprising:
code for receiving a content request from a subscriber;
code for requesting, from a DNS, a location indication associated with the subscriber; and
code for providing content to the subscriber responsive to the location indication and the content request.