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:
Jul. 23, 2013
Filed:
Feb. 18, 2009
Saveeta Pillai, Dumfries, VA (US);
Christopher J. Mateski, Overland Park, KS (US);
Elizabeth P. Grimbergen, Lenexa, KS (US);
Lyle T. Bertz, Lee's Summit, MO (US);
Saveeta Pillai, Dumfries, VA (US);
Christopher J. Mateski, Overland Park, KS (US);
Elizabeth P. Grimbergen, Lenexa, KS (US);
Lyle T. Bertz, Lee's Summit, MO (US);
Sprint Communications Company L.P., Overland Park, KS (US);
Abstract
A service may request the location of a network client in order to deliver advertisements for goods and services that are geographically near the client. It is desirable for the network to provide an obscured, or approximate, location to protect the privacy of the client. The network queries the client for its PN list. From the PN list, the network determines the active cell sectors and active cell towers. The network determines all cell sectors associated with the active cell towers, and excludes the sectors that encompass the client. From the non-excluded sectors, a cell sector is randomly selected. A geographic location is randomly selected from within the cell sector. A region that encompasses the geographic location is determined, and an identifier associated with the region, such as a ZIP code, is sent to the service. The exact location of the client cannot be determined from the regional identifier.