On-device Network Data Attribution via Application Identifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to accurately attribute network data usage to individual applications on mobile devices, leading to unclear consumption patterns and potential 'bill shock' due to lack of granular tracking, especially in environments where multiple applications share data traffic with centralized services.
Innovation Solution
A data transfer service on mobile devices attributes data transfer requests to unique identifiers associated with each application, allowing for precise tracking and monitoring of network data usage across various applications, even after the originating application has terminated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If server-based tracking by web site address is used, then network data consumption can be measured, but the identity of the originating application is lost and data usage is mis-attributed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data tracking process by introducing application-specific identifiers that divide the aggregated network traffic into distinct application-level measurements. Each application receives a unique identifier that segments the overall data consumption into attributable portions, allowing precise measurement while preserving application identity information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (the identifier system) between the application and the network traffic. This intermediary preserves the application identity information throughout the data transfer process, preventing loss of originating application identity while still enabling accurate measurement of network data consumption.
2Productivity
If multiple applications share data traffic with a centralized service, then data transfer can be consolidated, but attribution of data usage to specific applications becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different identifier characteristics to different applications. Each application's data transfer is marked with its specific identifier, allowing the centralized service to maintain consolidated efficient transfer while locally distinguishing each application's contribution through the embedded identifier information.
3Device complexity
If centralized service processes all data transfers, then network management is simplified, but the originating application identity is not maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by embedding the application identifier into the data transfer request before it reaches the centralized service. This preliminary tagging ensures that the originating application information is preserved and attached to each data transfer, allowing the centralized service to process transfers efficiently without losing attribution information.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments attribute network data transfers to applications executing on a computing device. A data transfer service executes on the computing device to receive and process data transfer requests. The data transfer requests, populated by the applications, have identifiers attributed thereto to enable monitoring of the network data transfers per identifier. For example, network data transfers associated with different mail accounts of a mail program or different web sites of browser are attributed separately. Data usage statistics relating to the network data transfers for each identifier may be generated and presented to the user for review.