Server-Side User-Neutral Identifier for Privacy-Preserving Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cookie-based tracking technologies are inefficient and invasive in mobile environments, failing to accurately collect and anonymize user browsing data, and existing alternatives like packet sniffing raise privacy concerns and operational challenges.
Innovation Solution
A system using a proxy server that generates and manages user-neutral identifiers to track webpage requests, allowing for anonymous profiling and personalized content delivery without compromising user privacy, while operating in both mobile and desktop environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If cookies are used to track user behavior, then user behavior tracking capability is improved, but user privacy protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a third-party server as an intermediary between the user's device and the tracking system. The server receives requests, generates user-neutral identifiers, and creates profiles without storing data on the user's device. This mediator approach enables tracking functionality while eliminating the harmful effect of direct cookie-based privacy intrusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the user identifier (user-neutral identifier) that is independent of the actual user identity. This copy is used for tracking and profiling purposes, allowing the system to measure user behavior without accessing or storing sensitive user information, thus resolving the contradiction between tracking capability and privacy protection.
2Measurement precision
If cookies are stored on mobile devices, then user identification accuracy is improved, but device compatibility and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tracking functionality from the mobile device itself and relocates it to a remote server. Instead of storing cookies on the device, the system generates user-neutral identifiers on the server side, eliminating the reliability issues associated with mobile device storage limitations and compatibility problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The server acts as an intermediary that handles user identification and tracking operations remotely. This mediator approach allows accurate user identification without requiring direct cookie storage on mobile devices, thereby improving reliability while maintaining identification accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple devices and browsers are used, then user accessibility is improved, but data aggregation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal tracking mechanism that works across multiple devices and browsers through a single server-based system. The server generates consistent user-neutral identifiers regardless of the device or browser used, providing multi-functional tracking capability without increasing operational complexity for the system administrator.
Solution Approach 2:
The server serves as a central intermediary that aggregates data from multiple devices and browsers into unified user profiles. This mediator approach simplifies data aggregation by centralizing the complexity in the server rather than requiring complex coordination between multiple client devices and browsers.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If packet sniffing is used for tracking, then user anonymity is improved, but security and privacy risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a server as an intermediary that generates user-neutral identifiers without requiring packet sniffing or deep packet inspection. This mediator approach maintains user anonymity by not accessing network traffic details while eliminating the security and privacy risks associated with packet sniffing technologies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the user identifier (user-neutral identifier) that is generated independently without analyzing network packets. This copy-based approach preserves user anonymity while avoiding the harmful security and privacy risks inherent in packet sniffing methods.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed toward a method and system for tracking webpage requests from web browsers without invading the privacy of the corresponding users. A server receives the webpage requests, and extracts from each of them a user-neutral identifier and URL. The server creates records of these webpage requests, and these records are used to create and update profiles for the corresponding user-neutral identifiers. Since the user-neutral identifiers are not tied to user-specific information, the profiles are made anonymous and user privacy can be protected. However, since each user-neutral identifier is tied to a particular web browser, useful information regarding individual browsing behavior can be obtained. Furthermore, the requested URL's can be categorized before being used to update the profiles, thus eliminating concerns that a user's browsing activity might be tracked from website to website.