Social Network Message Channel Separation via Domain-Specific Identifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Social networking systems face limitations in providing multiple sets of message channels to different user identifiers due to the use of browser cookies, which share resources across tabs, leading to confusion between personal and domain-specific sessions.
Innovation Solution
The system differentiates between personal and domain-specific sessions by using a domain-specific account identifier, separate from the user identifier, and passes this identifier as a parameter to backend services, allowing for tailored message channels based on the URL subdomain, enabling separate feeds for different browser tabs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If browser cookies are used for authentication, then user authentication is simplified, but multiple sets of message channels for different user identifiers cannot be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the authentication mechanism by separating the authentication cookie from the user identifier transmission. The authentication cookie remains shared across tabs for simplicity, while the user identifier is separately transmitted through URL parameters or hidden form fields, allowing different tabs to specify different user identifiers independently of the shared authentication state.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the system distinguishes between the authentication cookie (which proves login status) and the user identifier (which specifies the account). This intermediary separation allows the same authentication cookie to serve multiple user identifiers by accepting additional identifier parameters in requests.
2Reliability
If browser cookies share resources across tabs, then authentication is maintained system-wide, but confusion between personal and domain-specific sessions occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different tabs to have different user identifier contexts while sharing the same authentication cookie. Each tab can specify its own user identifier through URL parameters or form fields, creating locally distinct session contexts (personal vs. domain-specific) while maintaining globally consistent authentication through the shared cookie.
3Device complexity
If a single user identifier is used across all tabs, then authentication is simplified, but separate message channels for different contexts cannot be established
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds another dimension to the authentication model by introducing user identifier as a separate parameter from the authentication cookie. Instead of using a single-dimensional approach where the cookie contains all identity information, the system uses a two-dimensional approach: the cookie provides authentication status while URL parameters or form fields provide the user identifier dimension, enabling context-specific channels.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments include a social networking system capable of configuring message channel requests based on a browser cookie and URL subdomain. For example, the social networking system can extract a user identifier from a browser cookie of a web browser on the requesting device. The social networking system can identify a URL subdomain in the URL associated with the message channel request and select a domain-specific account identifier associated with the user identifier and the URL subdomain. The social networking system can then configure the message channel as a domain-specific channel. For example, the social networking system can select, based on the domain-specific account identifier, a content item to send over the message channel to the web browser.