Patent attributes
A method and system are disclosed for determining the geographic location of a user communicating on a communications network such as the Internet. In one embodiment, a provider of a product or service: (a) receives the user's phone number (or other identification for contacting the user's station), and (b) supplies the user's station with a distinctive identifier. The provider of the product or service then supplies a location determining service (or location service provider) with the user's phone number (or other identification). A phone call is made to the phone number by the location determining service (or location service provider) for retrieving the distinctive identifier from the network station having the phone number. If the distinctive identifier is retrieved and the location determining service (or location service provider) determines that the user's station is within an appropriate geographical area (or not within an inappropriate area), then the provider of the product or service can provide the requested product or service to the user.
