The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 18, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 29, 1999
Shinji Akatsu, Kanagawa, JP;
Fernando Masami Matsubara, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a gateway device comprises a central processing unit, an external network interface, an internal network interface, and a positioning unit each coupled to the central processing unit. The gateway device further comprises a persistent memory, also coupled to the central processing unit, wherein the persistent memory is configured to store statistical data pertaining to content received through the external network interface as well as geographic location information. The gateway device is configured to collecting statistical geographic location information. According to an embodiment, a method for collecting the statistical geographic location information comprises: storing geographic location information in a persistent memory dedicated to a positioning unit, sampling incoming data passing between the external network interface and the internal network interface of the gateway device, recording the sampled incoming data in a persistent data table, receiving a request, the request comprising a demand for information contained in the persistent data table, and in response to the request, transmitting information contained in the persistent data table together with geographic location information.