IP Address Location Merging via User Profile Intermediaries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to accurately determine a user's geographic location based on their IP address, as multiple users can share the same IP address, making it difficult for search engines and online advertisement providers to tailor search results and digital ads effectively to the user's location.
Innovation Solution
Systems and methods are developed to associate a geographic location with an IP address by analyzing user activity associated with registered users, browser cookies, and the intent of search queries, and merging data from multiple sources to improve location accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If IP address is used to determine user location, then the method is simple and widely available, but the location accuracy deteriorates because multiple users share the same IP address
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple data sources including IP address data, user profile data, search query data, and browsing behavior data to determine user location. By merging these diverse data sources, the system overcomes the limitation of IP address alone while maintaining practical implementability through integration with existing search engine infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces user profiles as an intermediary layer between IP address and location determination. User profiles store declared geographic information that mediates the connection between IP address and actual user location, allowing the system to resolve the many-to-one mapping problem where multiple users share the same IP address.
2Measurement precision
If multiple data sources are merged to improve location accuracy, then location determination precision improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing search engine components multi-functional. The same search query processing infrastructure that handles search requests also collects location-relevant data. User profiles serve multiple purposes including authentication, personalization, and location determination, reducing the need for separate dedicated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses data that users already provide during normal search engine interaction. User profiles are created and maintained through voluntary user registration and activity. Search queries and browsing behavior are naturally generated during normal usage, eliminating the need for separate data collection systems.
3Measurement precision
If user activity data and search query intent are analyzed to determine location, then location accuracy improves, but data processing requirements and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-processes and stores user profile information including declared geographic location during user registration and profile setup. This preliminary action allows the system to quickly retrieve location information without performing complex real-time analysis of all user activity data when a search query is submitted.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex real-time computational analysis with lookup operations on pre-computed data structures. Instead of analyzing user behavior patterns in real-time to infer location, the system uses pre-stored user profile data and applies simple filtering and matching algorithms based on search query characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for associating a geographic location with an Internet protocol (IP address) are disclosed. Generally, an IP address to location module determines whether a geographic location is associated with a common IP address in a majority of IP address to location data sets. The IP address to location module then stores an association between a geographic location and the IP address in a master IP address to location data set based on whether a geographic location is associated with a common IP address in a majority of IP address to location data sets.