Masked Mobile Device Identifier Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for tracking mobile devices to generate marketing and product information do not effectively protect user privacy, as they often reveal actual device identities to advertisers, allowing for targeted advertising that may invade user privacy.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates a unique user identifier by masking device identifiers using cryptographic hash functions and expiration dates, ensuring that advertisers cannot identify specific devices or users, thereby protecting user privacy while allowing for targeted advertising.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If device identifiers are used for tracking mobile devices to generate marketing information, then targeted advertising capability is improved, but user privacy protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary masking process that transforms real device identifiers into masked identifiers through cryptographic hash functions. This intermediary layer allows advertising systems to track and target devices without direct exposure to actual device identities, resolving the contradiction between targeted advertising capability and user privacy protection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the device identifier that is functionally equivalent for tracking purposes but structurally different (masked) to protect privacy. The masked identifier serves as a surrogate that maintains advertising effectiveness while eliminating privacy risks associated with using real device identifiers
2Measurement precision
If actual device identities are revealed to advertisers, then advertising targeting precision is improved, but device anonymity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter form of device identifiers by applying masking transformations. The masked identifiers retain sufficient information for precise advertising targeting while changing their structural parameters to prevent identification of actual devices, thus maintaining targeting precision while preserving anonymity
3Object-affected harmful factors
If device identifiers are masked to protect privacy, then user privacy protection is improved, but device identification capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable masked identifiers that are inexpensive to generate and can be frequently updated with expiration dates. These short-living masked identifiers provide strong privacy protection while maintaining identification capability within their validity periods, resolving the contradiction between privacy protection and identification capability
Data Source
AI summary
A method of generating a user identifier is disclosed. The method comprises identifying, by a client, that the client does not have a device identifier associated with the device, wherein the device identifier is a device system identifier unique to the device. The method also comprises requesting, by the client, the device identifier from the device in response to identifying that the client does not have the device identifier. The method further comprises receiving, by the client, the device identifier. The method also comprises masking, by the client, the device identifier with client logic. The method further comprises generating, by the client, the user identifier based on masking, wherein the user identifier is unique to the device, and wherein the user identifier is attached to one or more interactions with one or more applications used by the device.