Third-party Cross-domain Tracking via Client Identifier Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques for distributing third-party advertisements and tracking user data across different web domains on mobile devices are ineffective, leading to impaired ad placement and inability to personalize content for specific users, as they often rely on cookies and session data that are not consistently tracked across domains.
Innovation Solution
A system where a client loads a tracking document container from a third-party domain, retrieves a client-specific identifier, and sends it to a server to log events and select supplemental items based on this identifier, allowing for consistent tracking and personalized content insertion across different domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cookies and session data are used for tracking user data across web domains, then user data can be tracked on a single domain, but tracking effectiveness deteriorates across multiple domains due to domain isolation restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a domain-agnostic tracking mechanism that acts as an intermediary between different web domains. Instead of relying on domain-specific cookies that cannot communicate across domains, the system uses a universal tracking identifier and event logging mechanism that can track user behavior consistently across multiple domains without being restricted by domain boundaries.
2Productivity
If third-party advertisements are distributed using iframe containers, then ad distribution is achieved, but tracking and personalization capability deteriorates due to browser security restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tracking functionality from the traditional iframe-based ad delivery mechanism. Instead of relying on the iframe's cookie-based tracking which is blocked by same-origin policy, the system extracts user behavior events and transmits them externally to a tracking server, separating the ad delivery channel from the tracking channel and enabling effective tracking without compromising ad distribution efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If native advertising techniques are used to insert supplemental items directly in content feeds, then user experience is improved, but tracking capability deteriorates due to inability to associate events with specific users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where user interactions with native advertisements (clicks, impressions, conversions) are captured and transmitted to the advertising system. This feedback loop enables the system to learn from user behavior and improve ad targeting while maintaining the seamless user experience provided by native advertising integration.
Data Source
AI summary
Approaches, techniques, and mechanisms are disclosed for third-party tracking of user data. Instructions provided in association with a first document cause a client at which the first document is viewed to load a second document in a tracking document container associated with the first document. The second document belongs to a third-party domain that is different than a first domain to which the first document belongs. Instructions provided in association with the second document cause the client to retrieve a particular identifier from a local storage area for the third-party domain at the client. The instructions provided in association with the second document further cause the client to send a message to a server comprising the particular identifier.