Cookie Segmentation for Ad Privacy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ad serving systems face challenges in protecting user privacy by uniquely identifying browsers across multiple advertisers, which can lead to the combination of ad server log information to extract extra information about users.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system that distributes multiple cookies, each associated with a distinct group of advertisers, and using a non-reversible function like SHA hash algorithm to generate advertiser-specific cookie identifiers, thereby obscuring browser identities and preventing log comparisons across advertisers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a single cookie is used to identify a user across all advertisements served by the ad server, then user identification accuracy is improved, but user privacy protection deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser identification accuracyVSAvoiduser privacy exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the single cookie into multiple cookies, where each cookie is associated with a specific group of advertisers rather than all advertisers. This segmentation allows the system to maintain identification accuracy within each advertiser group while protecting user privacy across different advertiser groups, as the patent states: 'distributes multiple cookies, each associated with a distinct group of advertisers'

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If advertiser-specific cookie identifiers are generated using a non-reversible function, then user privacy protection is improved, but log analysis capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser privacy exposureVSAvoidlog analysis capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a non-reversible function (such as SHA hash algorithm) as an intermediary that transforms readable cookie identifiers into hashed identifiers. This intermediary preserves the ability to analyze logs by maintaining consistency of hashed values while preventing reverse engineering to obtain original user identifiers, thus protecting privacy without completely losing analytical capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of cookie identifiers from readable strings to hashed values through a non-reversible function. This parameter change ensures that while the identifiers can still be used for consistent logging and analysis, they cannot be reversed to reveal original user information, thereby protecting user privacy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple cookies are distributed to users, then user privacy protection is improved, but system complexity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser privacy exposureVSAvoidcookie management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent organizes the multiple cookies into distinct groups, where each cookie is associated with a specific group of advertisers. This structured segmentation simplifies management by providing clear rules for when to issue which cookie, rather than requiring complex individual management of each cookie

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal cookie issuance rule that applies across all advertisers: advertisers are assigned to specific groups, and users receive cookies corresponding to those groups. This universal approach simplifies the system by providing a consistent multi-functional solution that works for all advertisers rather than requiring custom handling for each

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach limits the ad history attributed to unique browsers, enhancing user privacy by ensuring that browser activities are recorded without identifying individual users across different advertisers, thus preventing the extraction of additional user information.

Implementation Method 1

applying a non-reversible function like SHA hash algorithm to generate advertiser-specific cookie identifiers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHash algorithm:

Data Source

PatentUS9947030B1Enhanced privacy with fewer cookies

Publication Date: 2018.04.17 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

Aspects relating to client server interactions using cookies are provided. A computer-implemented method is provided that includes receiving a request from a user for a first advertisement associated with a first advertiser, the request including first cookie data, the first cookie data including a first identifier specified for a first cookie, the first cookie being associated with a first group of advertisers including the first advertiser and a third advertiser, receiving a request from the user for a second advertisement associated with a second advertiser, the request including second cookie data, the second cookie data including a second identifier specified for a second cookie, the second cookie being associated with a second group of advertisers including the second advertiser and where the advertisers of the second group of advertisers are distinct from the advertisers of the first group of advertisers.