Postmark Protocol for Network Geo-Location Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network technologies face challenges in accurately identifying the geographical location of end-user devices, which limits personalized services and secure transactions, and fails to effectively restrict content delivery to specific locations or prevent illegal access.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a postmark protocol that allows network devices to provide metadata for geo-location path discovery, enabling end-to-end geo-location identification while allowing network devices to hide their topologies from external entities, and facilitating the provision of user device information to authorized content providers for localized content delivery and security purposes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If network devices provide geo-location information to external entities, then geo-location identification accuracy is improved, but network topology privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a postmark protocol as an intermediary mechanism that enables geo-location identification without direct exposure of network topology. The protocol embeds location metadata in packet headers during transmission, allowing external entities to determine geo-location through the postmark information rather than by querying internal network devices. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by providing the necessary location data while maintaining network topology privacy through protocol-level abstraction.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network devices disclose user device information, then personalized services and security are enhanced, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different levels of information disclosure to different entities based on their authorization and service requirements. The postmark protocol enables selective disclosure where geo-location metadata is provided to authorized content providers for personalized services, while maintaining privacy for unauthorized access. This differentiated information quality resolves the contradiction by enabling personalized services where needed while preserving user privacy where not required.
3Loss of information
If geo-location identification is restricted to protect privacy, then privacy is maintained, but personalized services and security measures are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making the geo-location information disclosure adaptive and conditional rather than static and absolute. The postmark protocol dynamically controls information flow based on service authorization, user context, and security requirements. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction by enabling personalized services when conditions permit while maintaining privacy protection when conditions require it, rather than choosing a fixed position between the two extremes.
Data Source
AI summary
A device receives a connection from a user device, and provides, to a database, connection information associated with the user device. The device receives, from the database, user device information based on the connection information, where the user device information includes a location associated with the user device. The device also receives a trigger instructing the device to provide the user device information to a content provider device, and provides the user device information to the content provider device when the trigger is received.