Limited ID Cookie for Secure Mobile Ad Targeting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for targeting ads on mobile devices are intrusive and inconvenient due to application sandboxing, which restricts access to user information, requiring explicit permission or login authentication.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a server that receives a personal cookie from a client application, decrypts the user ID, verifies its authenticity, and creates a limited ID cookie that can only be decrypted by the server, allowing secure and convenient ad targeting without exposing sensitive user information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If applications request explicit permission from users to access cookies for ad targeting, then user information can be obtained for advertising purposes, but the user experience becomes intrusive and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a limited ID cookie as an intermediary that enables ad targeting without requiring direct access to personal cookies. The limited ID cookie contains only encrypted user identification data that is sufficient for advertising purposes but cannot be used to access other personal information, thus serving as a mediator between ad targeting needs and user privacy protection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a cookie with restricted functionality - the limited ID cookie contains only the specific data needed for ad targeting (encrypted user ID) and lacks the broader access capabilities of personal cookies. This localized data access allows ad targeting while preventing unauthorized access to other user information
2Measurement precision
If users must login and authenticate to receive targeted ads, then accurate user identification is achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and may cause users to switch activities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by obtaining the limited ID cookie in advance through background processes or initial authentication that occurs before ad targeting is needed. Once obtained, the limited ID cookie can be used repeatedly for ad targeting without requiring repeated authentication, thus eliminating time loss while maintaining identification accuracy
3Device complexity
If applications can access personal cookies directly, then ad targeting functionality is simplified, but security is compromised as sensitive user information may be exposed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential element needed for ad targeting from the personal cookie - the user identification data - and places it in a separate limited ID cookie with restricted access capabilities. This extraction removes the security risk associated with accessing entire personal cookies while preserving the functionality needed for targeted advertising
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the cookie data structure by encrypting the user ID and limiting the cookie's scope and accessibility. The limited ID cookie uses different encryption and access control parameters compared to personal cookies, transforming it into a secure, purpose-limited data container that maintains functionality while improving security
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for obtaining a limited ID cookie for ad targeting are disclosed. A client requests a limited ID cookie from a cookie making module (CMM), which sends a personal cookie to a verification module for verification. After verification, verification module sends a user ID with user information to CMM. CMM creates the limited ID cookie, and the limited ID cookie is sent to the client. The limited ID cookie is sent to an ads server which utilizes the limited ID cookie to target ads towards the user.