Ascertaining network devices used with anonymous identifiers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11599673-B2
Application number	US-202016932491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2020
Priority date	Nov 2, 2017
Publication date	Mar 7, 2023
Grant date	Mar 7, 2023

Abstract

Techniques for identifying certain types of network activity are disclosed, including parsing network traffic to automatically recognize anonymous identifiers. Such techniques may be used to identify and eliminate malicious and/or undesirable network traffic, and to identify topics relevant to a user of a particular network device so that communications to such a user are more likely to relate to a topic of interest to the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
identifying a character string in a URL transmitted by a client device as a potential anonymous identifier of the client device, wherein the character string is associated with a key variable in a key/value pair in the URL;
searching a first database for portions of URL query strings that determine whether to verify the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier;
finding URL query string portions in the first database that determine whether to verify the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier, wherein the URL query string portions include key variables; and
verifying the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier in response to finding a URL query string portion that verifies the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier, wherein the URL query string portion that verifies the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier is a key variable that matches the key variable in the key/value pair.

2. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
monitoring communications traffic over a telecommunication network;
discovering queries made from a client device and transmitted over the telecommunication network, the queries including a URL;
parsing a plurality of character strings in the queries in an attempt to locate a character string that matches a format predetermined for anonymous identifiers;
identifying a character string in the URL as a potential anonymous identifier of the client device, wherein the identified character string is located among the parsed character strings;
searching a first database for portions of URL query strings that determine whether to verify the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier;
finding URL query string portions in the database that determine whether to verify the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier; and
verifying the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier in response to finding a URL query string portion that verifies the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the key variable is associated with an advertising identifier.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
finding a key variable that matches the key variable in the key/value pair;
verifying the potential anonymous identifier as an actual identifier in response to finding the matching key variable;
associating, in accordance with the verification, the verified anonymous identifier with a device identifier that uniquely identifies the client device; and
storing in a second database the verified anonymous identifier and the client device identifier with the verified anonymous identifier and the client device identifier associated with each other.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
finding no key variable that matches the key variable in the key/value pair; and
forgoing verifying the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:
the key variables are associated with respective types of anonymous identifier; and
the computer-implemented method further comprises:
arranging the first database with the key variables grouped by type of identifier.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a first device identifier that uniquely identifies the client device; and
storing in a second database the verified anonymous identifier and the first device identifier with the verified anonymous identifier and the client device identifier associated with each other.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising:
determining whether the potential anonymous identifier is associated with a second device identifier,
wherein the verifying the potential anonymous identifier as a verified anonymous identifier depends on determining that the potential anonymous identifier is not associated with the second device identifier.

9. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media containing executable instructions that, if executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
identifying a character string in a URL transmitted by a client device as a potential anonymous identifier of the client device, wherein the character string is associated with a key variable in a key/value pair in the URL;
searching a first database for portions of URL query strings that determine whether to verify the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier
finding URL query string portions in the first database that determine whether to verify the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier, wherein the URL query string portions include key variables; and
verifying the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier in response to finding a URL query string portion that verifies the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier, wherein the URL query string portion that verifies the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier is a key variable that matches the key variable in the key/value pair.

10. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media containing executable instructions that, if executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
monitoring communications traffic over a telecommunication network;
discovering queries made from a client device and transmitted over the telecommunication network, the queries including a URL;
parsing a plurality of character strings in the queries in an attempt to locate a character string that matches a format predetermined for anonymous identifiers;
identifying a character string in the URL as a potential anonymous identifier of the client device, wherein the identified character string is located among the parsed character strings;
searching a first database for portions of URL query strings that determine whether to verify the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier;
finding URL query string portions in the database that determine whether to verify the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier; and
verifying the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier in response to finding a URL query string portion that verifies the potential anonymous identifier as an actual anonymous identifier.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the key variable is associated with an advertising identifier.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, if executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations further comprising:
finding a key variable that matches the key variable in the key/value pair;
verifying the potential anonymous identifier as an actual identifier in response to finding the matching key variable;
associating, in accordance with the verification, the verified anonymous identifier with a device identifier that uniquely identifies the client device; and
storing in a second database the verified anonymous identifier and the client device identifier with the verified anonymous identifier and the client device identifier associated with each other.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of cl

Assignees

• T Mobile Usa Inc

Inventors

• Al-Kabra Rami
• Bodiga Prem Kumar
• Dahlstrom Noah
• Sinha Ruchir
• Morrow Jonathan
• Drake Aaron
• Phan Chuong

Classifications

• H04L63/0421

  Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer · CPC title

• H04L67/535

  Tracking the activity of the user (network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34) · CPC title

• H04W12/02

  Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] · CPC title

• G06F21/6254 Primary

  by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification · CPC title

• H04L63/168

  above the transport layer · CPC title