Method and apparatus for location dependent software applications

Abstract

The Internet provides tremendous opportunities location dependent services such as gaming and advertising. Gaming is geopolitically regulated, so the physical locations of the end user, the gambling server and the gambling service provider, must be determined. The invention provides a means for doing so, by identifying the location of the end user's Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Access Service Provider (ASP). Similarly, Internet advertising is presently either indiscriminate, which is inefficient, or is personalized, violating the end user's privacy. The invention allows advertising content to be provided based on the physical location of the end user's ISP. This way, advertisements can be geographically targeted without having personal records stored on the Internet. Also described are many other similar applications which can exploit knowledge of the user's geographical location by using the location of the end user's ISP or ASP.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of gaming over a communication network comprising the steps of: 
 an end user sending a request to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to access a gaming Web site;    said ISP forwarding said request to a Gaming Server for said gaming Web site, including ISP location data; and    said Gaming Server responding to said ISP being in an acceptable location by allowing access to said gaming Web site.    
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in    claim 1   , wherein said communication network comprises an Internet network.  
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in    claim 2   , wherein said ISP location data comprises the media access control (MAC) address of said ISP.  
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in    claim 2   , wherein said ISP location data comprises the IP address of said ISP.  
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in    claim 2   , wherein said ISP location data comprises an address indicated by said ISP.  
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in    claim 3   , further comprising the step of said ISP responding to the physical location of said end user being indeterminent by rejecting said request for access.  
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in    claim 6   , wherein said request is encrypted.  
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in    claim 7   , wherein said step of sending a request further comprises sending an account name and password.  
     
     
         9 . A method of gaming over an Internet communication network comprising the steps of: 
 an end user sending a request to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to access a gaming Web site, in encrypted form, including an account name and password;    said ISP: 
 responding to the physical location of said end user being indeterminent by rejecting said request for access; and  
 forwarding said request to a Gaming Server for said gaming Web site, via said Internet network, in encrypted form, including the media access control (MAC) address of said ISP;  
   said Gaming Server: 
 decrypting said request; and  
 responding to said account name and password of said end user corresponding to a valid account, and said MAC address of said ISP being in an acceptable location by allowing said end user to access said gaming Web site.  
   
     
     
         10 . A system for gaming over a communication network comprising: 
 an end user;    an Internet Service Provider (ISP);    a Gaming Server having a gaming Web site; and    a communication network for interconnecting said end user, said ISP and said Gaming Server;    said end user being operable to: 
 send a request to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for access to said gaming Web site;  
   said ISP being operable to: 
 forward said request to said Gaming Server, including ISP location data; and  
   said Gaming Server being operable to: 
 respond to said ISP being in an acceptable location by allowing access.  
   
     
     
         11 . A method of targeted distribution of content over a communication network comprising the steps of: 
 an end user sending a request to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Internet Access Provider (IAP) for a Web page; and    said ISP returning said Web page to said end user, including targeted content based on the location of said ISP or IAP.    
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in    claim 11   , wherein said step of returning comprises the step of: 
 said ISP or IAP querying an advertising server for local advertising software code;    said a local advertising server responding to said query by: 
 identifying the physical location of the ISP or IAP;  
 indexing a database of advertising software code using said physical location; and  
 returning said advertising code to said ISP or IAP; and  
   said ISP or IAP inserting said local advertising software code into said Web page and sending said Web page to said end user.    
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in    claim 12   , wherein said step of identifying the physical location of the ISP or IAP comprises the step of: 
 identifying the physical location of the ISP or IAP based on the MAC address of said ISP or IAP.    
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in    claim 12   , wherein said step of identifying the physical location of the ISP or IAP comprises the step of: 
 identifying the physical location of the ISP or IAP based on the IP address of said ISP or IAP.    
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in    claim 12   , wherein said step of identifying the physical location of the ISP or IAP comprises the step of: 
 identifying the physical location of the ISP or IAP based on an address indicated by said ISP or IAP.    
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in    claim 11   , wherein said step of returning comprises the step of: 
 said ISP or IAP sending a request to said Web Site with a tag identifying said request for targeted advertising; and    said Web Site, responding to said request for a Web page and to said request including said targeted advertising tag, by returning said Web page to said ISP or IAP, said Web page including identifiers for the insertion of advertising code.    
     
     
         17 . A method of targeted advertising comprising the steps of: 
 an end user sending a request to an Internet Service Provider, for a Web page from a Web Site;    said ISP or IAP sending a request to said Web Site with a tag identifying said request for targeted advertising;    said Web Site, responding to said request for a Web page and to said request including said targeted advertising tag, by returning said Web page to said ISP or IAP, said Web page including identifiers for the insertion of advertising code;    said ISP or IAP responding to the receipt of said Web page with said identifiers by querying an advertising server for local advertising software code;    said a local advertising server responding to said query by: 
 identifying the MAC address of the ISP or IAP;  
 indexing a database of advertising software code using said MAC address;  
 returning said advertising code to said ISP or IAP; and  
 recording said transaction for accounting purposes; and  
   said ISP or IAP inserting said local advertising software code into said Web page and sending said Web page to said end user.    
     
     
         18 . A system for targeted distribution of content over a communication network comprising: 
 an end user;    an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Internet Access Provider (IAP); and    a communication network for interconnecting said End user and said ISP or IAP;    said end user being operable to: 
 send a request to said Internet Service Provider (ISP or IAP) for a Web page; and  
   said ISP or IAP being operable to: 
 return said Web page to said end user, including targeted content based on the location of said ISP or IAP.  
   
     
     
         19 . A computer readable memory medium for storing software code executable to perform the method steps of    claim 1   .  
     
     
         20 . A carrier signal incorporating software code executable to perform the method steps of    claim 1   .