IP-Hardened UDID for Stable Device Identification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Device identification is challenging when IP addresses change or account IDs are unavailable, making conventional methods unreliable for consistent device recognition.
Innovation Solution
A server-based IP hardened universal device identifier (UDID) system that generates a UDID using multiple device attributes, including an IP address when available, and compensates for changes by analyzing device attributes to assign a stable UDID.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If IP address is used for device identification, then device identification is simple and direct, but the identification becomes unreliable when IP address changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments device identification into multiple independent attributes (IP address, user agent, screen resolution, time zone, language, etc.) rather than relying on a single IP address. Each attribute is collected and evaluated separately, allowing the system to maintain identification reliability even when individual attributes like IP address change.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite identification profile by combining multiple device attributes into a unified device fingerprint. This composite approach mirrors the composite materials principle where multiple components work together to achieve properties that individual components cannot provide alone, ensuring reliable device identification despite changes in any single attribute.
2Ease of operation
If account ID is used for device identification, then device recognition is straightforward, but identification fails when account ID changes in new-user flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces device attributes and device fingerprint as an intermediary between the device and the identification system, replacing direct reliance on account ID. This intermediary layer allows the system to identify devices independently of account information, enabling seamless new-user flow where account ID may not yet exist or may change.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables devices to identify themselves through their own inherent attributes (hardware characteristics, software configuration, network properties) without requiring external account ID assignment. This self-service identification mechanism allows devices to be recognized autonomously, facilitating new-user registration and account creation workflows.
3Reliability
If multiple device attributes are collected for IP hardened UDID generation, then identification reliability improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal device identification system that collects multiple attributes serving multiple functions: IP address for network identification, user agent for browser identification, screen resolution for device type identification, time zone and language for regional identification. This multi-functional attribute collection approach achieves reliable identification without proportionally increasing system complexity, as the same infrastructure serves multiple identification purposes simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein provide a server including a memory and an electronic processor. The server includes a UDID database. The electronic processor is configured to receive an identification request regarding a currently-observed user device having a first set of attributes associated with the currently-observed user device. The first set of attributes includes an IP address of the currently-observed user device. The electronic processor is further configured to generate an IP hardened UDID associated with the currently-observed user device based on the first set of attributes, and store the IP hardened UDID in the UDID database. The generation of the IP hardened UDID compensates for changes in the IP address of the currently-observed user device over a period of time.