Cookie-Assisted Household Identification Across Changing IPs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies struggle to identify and target users of internet-connected households when they are outside their homes, as IP addresses change to non-residential locations, rendering household identification methods ineffective.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing a combination of 1st party cookies and household IP addresses, along with criteria such as ISP classification, device activity, and IP assignment age, to recognize and associate devices with households, even when users are out of the home.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If household identification methods using IP addresses are used to target users at home, then accurate household identification is achieved, but identification fails when users are outside their homes due to IP address changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the identification system into two components: household-level identification (using IP address and device activity) and individual device identification (using cookies). This segmentation allows the system to maintain household identification accuracy while tracking individual devices across different locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cookies as an intermediary identifier that bridges the gap between household IP-based identification and individual device tracking. The cookie acts as a mediator that persists across different IP addresses, enabling continuous identification of users even when they move outside their homes.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If cookies are used to track individual devices, then continuous user identification is achieved, but identification cannot distinguish between household and non-household contexts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges household-level identification (IP address + device activity criteria) with individual device identification (cookies) into a unified system. This combination preserves both the continuity of user tracking across sessions and the contextual information about household affiliation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional identification system where the same framework can identify users both within their households (using IP + device criteria) and outside their households (using cookies + household association). The system universally applies identification rules across different contexts.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method provide media content based on a household when out-of-home. A first request for media content is received that originates from a first IP address and includes a first data element identification that is associated with a first user. A determination is made that the first IP address is associated with a first internet connected household (ICH). The first data element identification is aliased with the first ICH. A second request (that includes the first data element identification) for media content is received that originates from a second IP address that corresponds to a non-household IP address. In response to the second request and the aliasing, media content is retrieved (based on the first ICH) and transmitted to the first user at the second IP address.