Anonymous User Profiling via Shared DNS Cache and URI Schemes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies lack a practical method to correlate user interactions across both mobile applications and websites without using personal identifying information (PII), limiting the provider's understanding of user behavior and preventing personalized communications or content optimization.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to generate a unique anonymous user identity by utilizing a shared DNS cache to store address records across native applications and web browsers, allowing for the creation of a unified user profile without violating sandbox policies or requiring PII, and identifying installed native applications through URI schemes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If personal identifying information (PII) is used to correlate user interactions across applications and websites, then user profiling accuracy is improved, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism using device identifiers and sandboxed communication protocols to bridge the gap between applications and websites without requiring PII. The system uses a mediator server that facilitates correlation of user interactions through anonymized device fingerprints and shared DNS cache records, eliminating the need for direct PII collection while maintaining profiling accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of user interaction data through anonymized device identifiers and DNS cache records. Instead of using actual PII, the system generates synthetic profiles based on shared DNS records, installed application lists, and device characteristics, allowing accurate user profiling without exposing real personal information.
2Reliability
If sandbox security policies are enforced on mobile devices, then application security is improved, but cross-application data sharing capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data sharing problem into separate components: each application maintains its own sandboxed data, but all applications share access to a common DNS cache. The system creates segmentation boundaries that allow secure isolation of application data while enabling shared access to DNS records as a common identification medium, thus maintaining both security and sharing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the DNS cache a universal shared resource that serves multiple functions: it acts as a common identifier across applications, provides a shared state space for coordination, and enables cross-application communication without requiring direct data sharing. This multi-functional use of DNS cache resolves the contradiction by providing a universal interface that works within sandbox constraints.
3Productivity
If comprehensive user profiling is implemented across all applications and websites, then marketing effectiveness is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by leveraging existing system resources (DNS cache, URI schemes, installed application lists) that are already available on mobile devices. The profiling system automatically collects and correlates data from these existing sources without requiring additional complex infrastructure, user configuration, or manual data entry, thus achieving comprehensive profiling with minimal added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of data collection from PII-based to non-PII-based identifiers. By transitioning from collecting personal information to collecting technical parameters (DNS records, URI schemes, application metadata), the system achieves comprehensive profiling while reducing complexity through the use of simpler, more structured data formats that are easier to process and correlate.
Data Source
AI summary
In embodiments, a unique ID may be generated for a user of a mobile device by requesting, from a DNS server, an address record for each domain name of a series of domain names to create an address record set. The address record for each domain name may be randomly selected from a group of address records associated with the respective domain name. The unique ID may then be generated utilizing the address record set. In other embodiments, a list of URI schemes may be sent to the mobile device, which may respond with an indication of a subset of the URI schemes that are supported by the mobile device. This subset of the URI schemes may then be correlated with one or more associated native applications to identify native applications installed on the mobile device to automatically profile the mobile device. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.