Data structures for intelligently resolving deterministic and probabilistic device identifiers to device profiles and/or groups

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11895204-B1
Application number	US-202117644286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 14, 2021
Priority date	Oct 14, 2014
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

An electronic device identifier mapping and resolution system are disclosed which may be used to analyze various device identifiers associated with an online event initiated by a particular device in applying a matching algorithm to determine a unique device identifier and/or device profile for the device. Device identifiers provided from disparate sources (such as web browser cookies, network IP addresses, device-specific identifiers, application-specific identifiers, custom identifiers, probabilistic identifiers, etc.), including both deterministic and/or probabilistic identifiers, may be analyzed according to the matching algorithm to determine a device identifier associated with the device. Matching algorithms may be customized and configured to a high degree of complexity for respective entities, such as to analyze disparate device identifiers according to a variety of identifier comparison functions and matching tiers. Matching algorithms may include conditional requirements that streamline execution of such algorithms, e.g., which may reduce processor load and increase execution time, such as conditional requirements that bypass portions of the matching algorithm based on particular identifiers associated with the online event that are initially analyzed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for translating device identifiers, the method comprising:
extracting or receiving, from a first device or a requesting entity, a first device identifier associated with the first device;
receiving, from a requesting entity, a second device identifier and a matching request for a first device profile that is associated with both the first device identifier and the second device identifier;
accessing, from one or more electronic storage devices, a matching algorithm comprising a first tier condition and a second tier condition, wherein the first tier condition (1) is associated with a first device identifier type and (2) comprises a first comparison function, and wherein the second tier condition (1) is associated with a second device identifier type and (2) comprises a second comparison function;
accessing, from the one or more electronic storage devices, device profiles including the first device profile, wherein the device profiles are associated with the first tier condition and the second tier condition, wherein the first device profile is associated with the matching algorithm;
in response to a determination that the first tier condition is not satisfied, determining that the first device identifier is not associated with the first device profile, thereby terminating the matching algorithm;
in response to a determination that the first tier condition is satisfied, determining that the second device identifier satisfies the second tier condition associated with the second comparison function;
in response to determinations that the first tier condition and the second tier condition are satisfied, determining that the first device identifier and the second device identifier are both associated with the first device profile; and
transmitting, to the requesting entity, the first device identifier or the first device profile.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the requesting entity uses the first device identifier or the first device profile to authenticate a user login or approve an online transaction.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a translation identifier associated with the first device identifier and the second device identifier, wherein the translation identifier comprises information associated with the first device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first comparison function is one or more of: Boolean, Identifier Exact Match, Integer Difference, Exists, Exists Hours, Exists Hours—Device Profile, Exact Match Hours, and Exact Match with Expected Device Count.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting the first device profile to the requesting entity, wherein the requesting entity uses the first device profile to generate or provide targeted content to the first device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first device identifier and the second device identifier is deterministic.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a deterministic identifier corresponding to the first device identifier or the second device identifier includes at least one of: a cookie, a device-specific identifier, an operating system generated identifier, an IP address, or a MAC address.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device identifier is an IP address, and the second device identifier is at least one octet of the IP address.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device identifier is an IP address, and the second device identifier is a country code.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first device identifier and the second device identifier is probabilistic.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first tier condition or the second tier condition comprises one or more probabilistic rules or one or more deterministic rules.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein first tier condition and second tier condition are prioritized such that the first device profile is matched to both the first device identifier and the second device identifier with a requisite confidence level.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein prioritized first tier condition and second tier condition are ordered based at least in part on a determined match accuracy associated with each rule of prioritized matching rules.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first tier condition and second tier condition are customizable by the requesting entity.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first tier condition and the second tier condition comprise default tier conditions generated over time based at least in part on observed common or recurring matching scenarios.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first tier condition is associated with a confidence level indicating a likelihood that the first device identifier satisfies a given tier condition.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second tier condition is associated with a confidence level indicating a likelihood that the second device identifier satisfies a given tier condition.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein adjustment of one or more parameters associated with one of the first tier condition and second tier condition results in a change of a corresponding confidence level of one of the first tier condition and second tier condition.

19. A non-transitory computer storage having stored thereon a computer program, the computer program including executable instructions that instruct a computer system to at least:
extract or receive, from a first device or a requesting entity, first device identifier associated with the first device;
receiving, from a requesting entity, a second device identifier and a matching request for a first device profile that is associated with both the first device identifier and the second device identifier;
access, from one or more electronic storage devices, a matching algorithm comprising a first tier condition and a second tier condition, wherein the first tier condition (1) is associated with a first device identifier type and (2) comprises a first comparison function and wherein the second tier condition (1) is associated with a second device identifier type and (2) comprises a second comparison function;
access, from the one or more electronic storage devices, device profiles including the first device profile, wherein the device profiles are associated with the first and second tier conditions, wherein the first device profile is associated with the matching algorithm;
in response to a determination that the first tier condition is not satisfied, determining that the first device identifier is not associated with the first device profile, thereby terminating the matching algorithm;
in response to a determination that the first tier condition is satisfied, determine that the second device identifier satisfies the second comparison function of the second tier condition;
in response to the determinations that the first and second tier conditions are satisfied, determining that the first device identifier and the second device identifier are both associated with the first device profile; and
transmit to the requesting entity, the first device identifier or the first device profile.

20. A computing system for translating device identifiers, the computing system comprising:
a data storage device configured to store computer-executable instructions; and
one or more hardware computer processors in communication with the data storage device, wherein the one or more hardware computer processors, when executing the computer-executable instructions,

Assignees

• The 41St Parameter Inc

Inventors

• Khanwalkar Manoj
• Camacho Adler
• Van Lare Stephen
• Winkler Omer
• Tuttle Luke David
• Patel Surag I

Classifications

• H04L41/14

  Network analysis or design · CPC title

• H04L67/535 Primary

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

• H04L67/02 Primary

  based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] · CPC title

• H04L67/303

  Terminal profiles · CPC title

• H04L67/306

  User profiles · CPC title