Method and apparatus for approximating location of node attached to a network

#Computer networking is now a widely accepted means of delivering information. Some of the information delivered through computer networking includes simple data. For example, textual information is commonly delivered to users over wide-area networks. One example of a wide-area network is the Internet. Most users are familiar with the delivery of information that is formatted using a page description language. A web page is a good example of how textual information is formatted using a page description language called hyper-text markup language (HTML).

#Now that many computer users are able to access computer networks using high-speed connections, the type of information delivered by computer network is beginning to expand in scope. High-speed access to computer networks is just one of the factors that have influenced the types of information that can now be delivered over a computer network. New compression mechanisms allow efficient delivery of audio and video content over computer networks. For example, audio is now encoded in formats such as “MP3” and video is encoded in formats such as “MPEG-II and MPEG-III”, just to name a few.

#Information is a very valuable commodity. In many cases, the right to disseminate information belongs to the individual who created the information or a licensee thereof. The use of computer networks to distribute information has many people worried about the enforcement of dissemination rights. For example, many types of information are only intended to be distributed in specific geographic regions. In other cases, the location of a recipient of information can drive taxation and censorship requirements.

#Several alternative embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings and figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and in which:

#FIG. 1 is a flow diagram that depicts one illustrative method for determining an approximate location of a target node attached to a network;

#FIG. 1A is a pictorial diagram that depicts a plurality of reference nodes in spatial relation to each other;

#FIG. 1 is a flow diagram that depicts one illustrative method for determining an approximate location of a target node attached to a network. The network, according to one alternative variation of this method, comprises the Internet. According to this illustrative method, the approximate location of a target node is determined by determining the communication latency amongst a plurality of reference nodes (step 5). Once the communication latency amongst a plurality of reference nodes is determined, the communication latency between a target node and one or more reference nodes is determined (step 10). The target node is estimated to lie in an approximate geographic region that is determined according to the latency between the target node and at least one reference node (step 15).

#FIG. 1A is a pictorial diagram that depicts a plurality of reference nodes in spatial relation to each other. For the purposes of this disclosure, a communication latency between a first reference node 200A and a second reference node 200B is referenced by a designator including an index for the first reference node 200A and the second reference node 200B, e.g. T(2-4). This figure depicts that a plurality of reference nodes are identified according to an index. For example, this figure depicts seven reference nodes, each identified by numerical index 1 through 7. It should be noted that this figure is not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims to any particular number of reference nodes or to any particular means of identifying a particular reference node.

#In a typical computer infrastructure, reference nodes will be attached to the computer network at geographical disparate locations. The spatial relationship of each reference node to every other reference node, according to one example method, is represented by a communication latency between the nodes. According to one alternative variation of the present method, communication latency is expressed in terms of time. According to yet another alternative variation of the present method, communication latency is expressed in terms of a “hop count”.