Companion App Identity Management for Event Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining which events are generated by a specific app on a device are inefficient and complex, particularly when testing apps, as they require integrating a web server function into the app being tested, which is time-consuming and error-prone, especially when dealing with third-party apps.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using a companion app to generate and manage a unique device identity, allowing the app under test to use this identity, thereby simplifying the process by avoiding the need for a web server integration and enabling standardization of the web server function across multiple apps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a web server function is integrated into the app being tested, then the app can provide identity information for event tracking, but the integration process becomes time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
A companion app is introduced as an intermediary between the app under test and the event tracking system. The companion app manages the web server function and identity information, allowing the app under test to communicate events without direct web server integration. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for time-consuming web server integration while maintaining reliable event tracking through the companion app's identity management.
Solution Approach 2:
The web server function is extracted from the app being tested and placed into a dedicated companion app. This separation allows the app under test to focus on its core functionality while the companion app handles identity management and web server communications. The extraction resolves the technical contradiction by removing the time-consuming integration requirement while preserving the reliability of event tracking.
2Loss of information
If a web server function is integrated into each app being tested, then event data can be obtained, but the process becomes complex and difficult to standardize across multiple apps
Solution Approach 1:
The companion app serves as a universal solution that can work with any app on the device, eliminating the need for app-specific web server integrations. The companion app provides standardized identity management and event tracking capabilities that work across multiple apps, resolving the contradiction by reducing system complexity while maintaining complete event data collection through its multi-functional design.
Solution Approach 2:
The web server function, identity management, and event tracking capabilities are merged into a single companion app rather than being distributed across multiple apps. This consolidation reduces system complexity by eliminating redundant components while maintaining complete event data collection through the unified companion app's comprehensive functionality.
3Measurement precision
If identity information is generated by each app individually, then each app can track its events, but determining which events belong to which app becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The companion app acts as an intermediary that centralizes identity information management. Instead of each app generating its own identity, the companion app provides a unified identity that is associated with the device and app combinations. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining precise event attribution through centralized identity management while dramatically improving efficiency by eliminating the need for complex cross-app identity verification.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method provided on a computer device comprises providing a web function running on a at least one processor to obtain a first identity from a first app. The web function transmits the first identity to a first server. A second app runs on the computer device and generates a series of events, at least one event comprising the first identity which are transmitted to for example, a streaming platform.