Cross-Service Device Identifier Mapping via Temporal Address Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Different services use varying device identifiers, making it difficult to track a user's device interactions across multiple services due to incompatible identifiers generated by different fingerprinting services.
Innovation Solution
A system that maps device identifiers across services by comparing timestamps and addresses within a determined time window, using frequency and confidence levels to match devices, allowing analysis from one service to be associated with another, even if identifiers are incompatible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different fingerprinting services generate device identifiers for different services, then each service can independently identify devices, but it becomes difficult to track the same device across multiple services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mapping service as an intermediary that receives device identifiers from multiple fingerprinting services and creates mappings between them. This mediator enables cross-service device tracking by translating between different identifier systems without requiring the fingerprinting services themselves to be aware of each other, thus preserving service independence while enabling global device tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The mapping service provides a universal mechanism that works across multiple services and fingerprinting services. It creates a unified device identification system that can handle identifiers from different sources (device identifiers, network identifiers, application identifiers) and map them to a common representation, enabling the same device to be tracked across diverse services.
2Adaptability or versatility
If device identifiers are service-specific, then services can use different identification methods, but user activity cannot be correlated across services
Solution Approach 1:
The mapping service acts as an intermediary that collects device identifiers from multiple services and creates cross-service mappings. It receives identifiers from fingerprinting services, network services, and application services, then establishes relationships between them to enable user activity correlation across services while preserving each service's ability to use its preferred identification method.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges multiple identifier types from different services into a unified mapping structure. It combines device identifiers, network identifiers, and application identifiers into comprehensive device profiles that link the same device across multiple services, enabling correlated analysis of user activities while maintaining the diversity of identifier sources.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple identifier types are used across services, then services can optimize for their specific needs, but mapping and matching devices becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the identifier mapping problem into distinct service components. Each service maintains its own fingerprinting service and identifier generation logic, while the mapping service handles the complexity of cross-service correlations. This segmentation allows services to optimize independently while the mapping service manages the overall complexity through standardized mapping operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The mapping service intermediates between multiple fingerprinting services and the analysis system. It absorbs the complexity of managing multiple identifier types by providing a unified mapping interface, allowing individual services to continue using their optimized identifier methods without exposing the underlying complexity to other services or the analysis system.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media are provided for mapping device identifiers. Service event information of a first set of devices and a second set of devices may be obtained. The service event information may identify sets of device identifiers, sets of timestamps associated with the sets of devices, and sets of addresses associated with the sets of devices. A timestamp and an address of a device of the first set of devices may be identified and a time window may be determined based on the timestamp. Device identifiers of the second set of devices may be identified based on a comparison of the address with addresses of the second set of addresses that are associated with timestamps within the time window.