Device Identifier Generation for Anonymous User Association
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users are hesitant to provide personal identifying information due to identity theft concerns, and existing methods for anonymous user identification on mobile devices are either unavailable or require active internet connections, making it difficult to uniformly share across applications.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates a device identifier based on content and metadata stored on user devices, allowing anonymous user identification by correlating similar content across devices without requiring explicit user information, using modules like device identifier generation, aggregation, and storage, which can be transmitted to a server for user association.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If personal identifying information is provided for user identification, then user-specific services and personalized content can be accessed, but security risks increase due to identity theft concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a device identifier as an intermediary that indirectly represents the user without exposing personal identifying information. This mediator enables user-specific services while maintaining security by decoupling the identification mechanism from sensitive user data.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using actual personal identifying information, the system creates a copy or representation of user identity through device identifiers derived from content metadata. This copy suffices for service delivery without requiring access to sensitive original data.
2Ease of operation
If web-based cookies and device MAC addresses are used for identification, then user tracking and service delivery are enabled, but availability decreases on mobile devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables mobile devices to self-generate identification data using their own stored content and metadata, eliminating dependence on external cookies or server-based tokens. This self-service approach ensures identification availability across all applications regardless of internet connectivity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If application tokens and server-based tokens are used for anonymous identification, then user privacy is protected, but uniformity across applications decreases and internet connection is required
Solution Approach 1:
The device identifier derived from content metadata serves multiple functions across different applications and services uniformly. Unlike application-specific tokens, this identifier works consistently throughout the mobile ecosystem without requiring separate authentication mechanisms for each app.
Solution Approach 2:
The identification data is pre-computed and stored locally on the device based on existing content metadata, rather than being retrieved dynamically from a server. This preliminary action eliminates the need for active internet connections during identification processes.
Data Source
AI summary
Example methods and systems for content-based association of a device to a user are presented. In an example method, data corresponding to each of a plurality of items of content stored within a user device are accessed. A device identifier for the user device is generated based on the data. The device identifier is transmitted from the user device to a service device to associate the user device with a user.