Ad Server Hostname Segmentation for Per-Advertiser Cookie Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ad servers use a single cookie to track users across multiple advertisements, limiting privacy and user control, as web browsers restrict the number of cookies per hostname, and existing methods do not allow granular privacy settings for individual advertisers.
Innovation Solution
Dynamically generating hostnames for each advertiser, allowing unique cookies to be associated with individual advertisers, enabling users to accept or reject cookies on a per-advertiser basis, and recording requests with unique identifiers to derive advertising metrics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single cookie is used to track users across multiple advertisements, then tracking efficiency is improved, but user privacy control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single tracking cookie into multiple advertiser-specific cookies. Each advertiser receives a separate cookie (e.g., cookie1 for advertiser1, cookie2 for advertiser2), allowing users to independently control tracking for each advertiser while maintaining efficient tracking capabilities for each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of advertiser identification into the cookie system. By embedding advertiser identifiers within cookie names or domains (e.g., ad1.example.com, ad2.example.com), the system enables granular privacy control without sacrificing tracking efficiency, as each advertiser operates in its own dimensional space.
2Reliability
If browser cookie limits per hostname are enforced, then system stability is improved, but advertising tracking capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent circumvents browser cookie limits by introducing a new dimension through subdomain architecture. Instead of creating multiple cookies under a single hostname (which hits the limit), it creates multiple hostnames (ad1.example.com, ad2.example.com, etc.), each with its own cookie quota, thereby maintaining system stability while expanding tracking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the ad server system multi-functional by enabling it to serve multiple advertisers simultaneously with independent tracking capabilities. Each advertiser gets dedicated cookie and hostname resources, allowing the system to handle diverse advertising campaigns without being constrained by single-hostname cookie limits.
3Adaptability or versatility
If granular per-advertiser cookie control is implemented, then user privacy protection is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ad server into multiple advertiser-specific virtual servers or subdomains. This segmentation automatically handles the complexity of per-advertiser cookie management by creating isolated namespaces for each advertiser, reducing the burden on users to manually manage complex cookie settings while maintaining granular privacy control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service mechanisms where advertisers automatically receive their designated cookies and hostnames without manual intervention. The ad server autonomously manages cookie distribution, expiration, and retrieval based on advertiser identifiers, reducing system operational complexity despite the granular control architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating cookies. Multiple advertisements for multiple advertisers are stored on an ad server. Hostnames specific to each of the multiple advertisers are generated dynamically. The generated hostnames identify the ad server. A reference is generated identifying a particular advertisement of the multiple advertisements and the ad server. The ad server is identified in the reference with the generated hostname associated with the advertiser of the advertisement. The reference is provided to a client. A request is received from the client for the advertisement. The request includes the generated hostname. In response to the request, a client cookie, which includes a unique identifier, is sent to the client.