Deep-linking Authentication via Authorization Tokens

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current deep-linking technologies lack authentication mechanisms, allowing unauthorized parties to invoke deep-linking behavior without permission, leading to uncontrolled promotion and coupon display on retailer websites, which can disrupt the marketing effectiveness and consumer experience.

Innovation Solution

A deep-linking authentication system that includes a content origination server, a content display server, and a deep-link server, where the deep-link server generates an authorization token based on a stored content identifier and determines its validity, causing the content display server to modify the layout to prioritize authorized targeted content, such as digital promotions, above other content only when the token is valid.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If deep-linking is enabled without authentication, then consumer convenience and targeted content delivery are improved, but unauthorized parties can invoke deep-linking behavior and disrupt marketing effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsumer convenienceVSAvoidmarketing effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

An authentication server is introduced as an intermediary between the deep-linking content and the retailer's website. The authentication server validates authorization tokens before allowing deep-linking behavior to occur, thereby maintaining consumer convenience while preventing unauthorized access that would disrupt marketing effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Authorization tokens are generated and validated in advance before the deep-linking action occurs. The authentication server performs preliminary verification of the token's validity, expiration date, and associated content identifier, ensuring that only authorized promotional content can invoke deep-linking behavior

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If authentication mechanisms are added to deep-linking, then unauthorized access is prevented and marketing effectiveness is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemarketing effectivenessVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication server serves as a specialized intermediary that handles all authentication logic centrally. This concentrates the complexity in a single component rather than distributing it across multiple systems, making the overall system more manageable despite the added authentication layer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses authorization tokens as digital copies of permission credentials. Instead of implementing complex real-time verification of promotional content authenticity, the system validates pre-generated token copies that encode the necessary authorization information, simplifying the verification process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Quantity of substance

If unauthorized deep-linking is allowed, then more promotions can be displayed, but consumer experience deteriorates due to clutter and irrelevant content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of promotions displayedVSAvoidconsumer experience

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication server acts as a filter that selectively allows only authorized promotions to be displayed. By validating authorization tokens and matching content identifiers, it ensures that promotions displayed are both relevant to the consumer and authorized by the content owner, maintaining quality while allowing quantity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If authentication validation is performed, then unauthorized promotions are blocked, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepromotion authorization accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Authorization tokens are generated with pre-encoded validity information including expiration dates and associated content identifiers. The authentication server performs validation by checking these pre-encoded values rather than conducting complex real-time verification, reducing processing time while maintaining authorization accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11429998B1Deep-linking authentication system and related methods

Publication Date: 2022.08.30 INMAR CLEARING INC

AI summary

A content origination server may generate content having a stored content identifier associated therewith, and a content display server may display the content. A deep-link server may obtain the stored content identifier and generate an authorization token based upon the stored content identifier. The content origination server may generate a deep-link to the content. The deep-link may have associated therewith the stored content identifier and the authorization token. The content display server may communicate a request including a content identifier and a link authorization token, to the server. The deep-link server may determine whether the obtained link authorization token is valid based upon the generated authorization token and whether the identifiers match, and when so, cause the content display server to modify a layout of content otherwise, cause the content display server to display the content without modification to the layout of content.