Anonymous Token Profile for Mobile Privacy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile applications require users to sacrifice anonymity to store preferences, previous searches, and locations, which limits user privacy and convenience in receiving personalized recommendations for venues and services.
Innovation Solution
A mobile application that creates an anonymous user profile on a web server using an anonymous token, associating explicit and implicit search criteria without Personally Identifiable Information (PII), allowing users to search for venues and receive proactive recommendations based on past behavior and preferences without requiring a username, email, or phone number, and enabling region monitoring to update user profiles dynamically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mobile applications store user preferences, previous searches, and locations to provide personalized recommendations, then the quality of recommendations improves, but user privacy is compromised due to collection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an anonymous token as an intermediary between the user and the system. This token allows the system to store and retrieve user preferences, search history, and location data without ever collecting or storing actual personally identifiable information. The token acts as a mediator that enables personalized recommendations while preserving user anonymity and privacy.
2Ease of operation
If the system collects PII to create user profiles for personalized service, then service quality improves, but system complexity increases due to security and compliance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the problematic element (PII) from the user profile creation process. Instead of collecting names, email addresses, phone numbers, or device identifiers, the system uses only an anonymous token. This extraction eliminates the need for complex security measures, data protection protocols, and compliance mechanisms while still enabling personalized service through the token-based profile.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the system uses anonymous tokens instead of PII, then user privacy is protected, but the ability to accurately track and personalize service may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a functional copy of the user profile using the anonymous token. The token-based profile replicates all the necessary information for personalization (preferences, search history, location patterns) without copying actual identifying information. This allows the system to track user behavior and provide accurate personalized service while maintaining complete user anonymity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus, computer readable medium for maintaining a user profile at a web service, including receiving at least one search term from a mobile application, generating a profile associated with an identifier for the mobile application, and storing the received at least one search term from the mobile application in connection with the identifier in the profile. The web service may generate an anonymous identifier for the mobile application, wherein the at least one search term from the mobile application is stored in connection with the anonymous identifier in the profile. The web service may receive and store a location and other information from the mobile application. The profile may be updated so that additional searches can be performed based at least in part of the maintained profile.