Position identification method and system
View Patent ↗The present invention is directed to a system and method for collecting and maintaining an up-to-date database of points of interests, whereby agents of the points of interests, such as owners or operators of hotels or restaurants, can register their point of interest onto the database by uploading their contact information and physical address. Subsequently, on a periodic basis, the agents of the points of interests may log into the system and update their information, such as operating hours. The collected data is then made accessible to the general public and can be searched through using a variety of search criteria.
1. A method for authorizing a physical user device to update location information of one network address, the method comprising:
matching a received e-mail address from a physical user device with a publicly-listed e-mail address, stored in a physical database, associated with said at least one network address;
when said sender's email address is matched with said publicly-listed e-mail address in a who-is database, providing a unique password to said physical user device for accessing a designated website to update location information of a physical Network Address Translation (NAT) device wherein said unique password is provided to said physical user device using email and an embedded universal resource locator (URL);
said physical user device logs on said designated website based on a request from said physical user device;
authenticating said physical user device using said password;
receiving from said physical user device, over said Internet connection, said unique password and said location information wherein said network address is one of an IP address and a domain name; and
updating a physical location database containing said location information;
wherein said location information of said physical NAT device provides a location of at least one network address representing said physical NAT device.
2. The method for authorizing a physical user device to update location information of one network address according to claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one network address is listed in a public directory including said publicly-listed e-mail address.
3. The method for authorizing a physical user device to update location information of one network address according to claim 2 , wherein:
said public directory is an ARIN WHOIS database.
4. The method for authorizing a physical user device to update location information of one network address according to claim 1 , wherein one network address identifies a physical gateway device through which at least one physical end device connects to said Internet.
5. The method for authorizing a physical user device to update location information of one network address according to claim 4 wherein:
said at least one physical end device is a physical wireless device with Internet access.
6. The method for authorizing a physical user device to update location information of one network address according to claim 4 , further comprising:
determining an position of said at least one physical end device in response to said location information of one network address.
7. The method for authorizing a physical user device to update location information of one network address according to claim 6 , wherein:
said one network address is a static routable IP address of said physical gateway device and each of said at least one physical end device is identifiable by a non-routable IP address.
8. The method for authorizing a physical user device to update location information of one network address according to claim 6 , further comprising:
sending said location information of one network address to said at least one physical end device.
9. A system configured for authorizing a physical user device to update location information along with providing Internet connection for at least one physical user device, the system comprising:
A processor;
a location updating module to update location information associated with a physical Network Address Translation (NAT) gateway device;
a physical memory storage device, in communication with said location updating module, to store said location information associated with said physical NAT gateway device; and
a network module, in communication with said physical memory storage device, to transmit location information to at least one physical user device;
wherein said location information associated with said physical NAT gateway device provides a location of said at least one physical end device associated with said physical NAT gateway device;
a database containing a directory of points of interests (POI) wherein said database containing pre stored record information and said database configured to perform matching of a received said sender's e-mail address from a physical user device with a publicly-listed e-mail address, stored in a physical database, associated with said at least one network address; and
when said sender's email address is matched with said publicly-listed e-mail address in a WHOIS database, providing a unique password to said physical user device for accessing a designated website to update location information of a physical Network Address Translation (NAT) device wherein said unique password is provided to said physical user device using email and an embedded universal resource locator (URL);
said physical user device logs on said designated website based on a request from said physical user device;
authenticating said physical user device using said password;
receiving from said physical user device, over said Internet connection, said unique password and said location information wherein said network address is one of an IP address and a domain name; and
updating a physical location database containing said location information;
wherein said location information of said physical NAT device provides a location of at least one network address representing said physical NAT device.