Method and system for associating internet protocol (ip) address, media access control (mac) address and location for a user device

#Location-based services are becoming more and more prevalent. An example of a location-based service is the delivery of location-based context-aware content to a user of a mobile computing device, such as a smartphone, or other device, that is capable of accessing a website without using a third-party application. For example, a user of a mobile device enters a geographic area that is monitored by a network of wireless access points. Typically, the mobile device will connect to one of the wireless access points and gain access to the network. Such a network of wireless access points typically uses wireless fidelity (WiFi) as the underlying technology to allow the user to wirelessly connect to the network. An example of a WiFi network is one that is implemented according to one or more of IEEE 802.11b/g/n, or similar wireless access standards. The user of the mobile device uses a web browser on the mobile device to request a website associated with the entity that provides the network and the monitored area. The user then receives context-aware content based on, for example, the location of the user.

#Generally, WiFi uses a Media Access Control (MAC) address that is assigned to each mobile device for identifying users and providing location-based services. However, an application layer entity will typically employ an Internet Protocol (IP) address as a way of identifying a mobile device. Unfortunately, a MAC address does not translate or correspond to an IP address at the application layer thus making it difficult to provide location-based services to the WiFi-connected mobile device at the application level. Therefore, to provide location-based services to a mobile device at the application layer, applications and services require a method of mapping an IP address to a MAC address.

#Various embodiments of methods and systems for associating an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address and a location for a user device are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of a method for associating an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address and a location for a user device, comprises receiving IP to DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) bindings related to a user device from a domain name server (DNS), receiving a MAC address related to the user device from the DNS, associating the IP address and the MAC address for the user device, using the MAC address to obtain a geographic location of the user device, building a table having the IP:MAC address association, the location of the user device and a timestamp corresponding to the IP:MAC address association and the location of the user device, and using the IP:MAC address association and the location of the user device to deliver contextual content to the user device.

#In the figures, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise indicated. For reference numerals with letter character designations such as “102a” or “102b”, the letter character designations may differentiate two like parts or elements present in the same figure. Letter character designations for reference numerals may be omitted when it is intended that a reference numeral encompass all parts having the same reference numeral in all figures.

#FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of a system and method for associating IP address, MAC address and location for a user device.

#FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the position mapper of FIG. 1.

#The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects.

#In this description, the term “application” may also include files having executable content, such as: object code, scripts, byte code, markup language files, and patches. In addition, an “application” referred to herein, may also include files that are not executable in nature, such as documents that may need to be opened or other data files that need to be accessed.

#As used in this description, the terms “component,” “database,” “module,” “system,” and the like are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, firmware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a computing device and the computing device may be a component. One or more components may reside within a process and/or thread of execution, and a component may be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers. In addition, these components may execute from various computer readable media having various data structures stored thereon. The components may communicate by way of local and/or remote processes such as in accordance with a signal having one or more data packets (e.g., data from one component interacting with another component in a local system, distributed system, and/or across a network such as the Internet with other systems by way of the signal).