Automated multi-user system detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016337195-A1
Application number	US-201615219721-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 26, 2016
Priority date	Nov 23, 2011
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for automated detection of multi-user computing devices such as kiosks, public terminals, and so on. Network resource requests are obtained from a client computing device. It is determined whether the client computing device is a multi-user system based at least in part on whether the network resource requests embody characteristics associated with multi-user systems. The resulting classification is stored and may be used to customize generation of requested network resources.

First claim

Therefore, the following is claimed:

1 . A system, comprising:
at least one computing device; and a public multi-user system detection application executable in the at least one computing device, wherein when executed the public multi-user system detection application causes the at least one computing device to at least:
generate a public multi-user system confidence score based at least in part on whether at least one network resource request received from a client computing device embodies a plurality of characteristics associated with public multi-user systems used by different users; and
classify the client computing device as a public multi-user computing device used by different users in response to determining that the public multi-user system confidence score meets a public multi-user-system classification threshold.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of characteristics associated with public multi-user systems used by different users is an indicator in the at least one network resource request that designates the client computing device as a particular type of multi-user computing device.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the indicator is customized by a supplier of the multi-user computing device.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein when executed the public multi-user system detection application further causes the at least one computing device to at least:
generate a non-multi-user system confidence score based at least in part on whether the at least one network resource request embodies at least one of a plurality of characteristics associated with non-multi-user systems; and classify the client computing device as a non-multi-user system in response to determining that the non-multi-user system confidence score meets a non-multi-user-system classification threshold.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of characteristics associated with public multi-user systems used by different users is a particular browser configuration.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of characteristics associated with public multi-user systems used by different users is an another indicator in the at least one network resource request that indicates that the client computing device executes a particular version of a software application.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein when executed the public multi-user system detection application further causes the at least one computing device to at least:
determine whether the client computing device employs a content filter; and wherein the public multi-user system confidence score is based at least in part on whether the client computing device employs the content filter.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of characteristics associated with public multi-user systems used by different users is a source network address in a network address range that is associated with a network access provider for public multi-user systems.

9 . A method, comprising:
receiving, via at least one of one or more computing devices, a plurality of network resource requests from a client computing device; determining, via at least one of the one or more computing devices, whether the client computing device is a public multi-user system used by different users based at least in part on whether the plurality of network resource requests embody a plurality of characteristics associated with public multi-user systems used by different users; and initiating, via at least one of the one or more computing devices, storing of a result of determining whether the client computing device is a public multi-user system used by different users.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a plurality of users are associated with the plurality of network resource requests, and one of the plurality of characteristics associated with public multi-user systems used by different users is an infrequency of use of a location associated with the client computing device as a shipping address by the plurality of users.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining, via at least one of the one or more computing devices, the location based at least in part on a respective source network address associated with individual ones of the plurality of network resource requests.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein one of the plurality of characteristics associated with public multi-user systems used by different users is a static source network address associated with the plurality of network resource requests.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of network resource requests include a single browser identifier and a plurality of user identifiers, and one of the plurality of characteristics relates to a frequency of repeat user sessions corresponding to the plurality of user identifiers.

14 . A method, comprising:
generating, via at least one of one or more computing devices, a non-multi-user system confidence score based at least in part on whether at least one network resource request received from a client computing device embodies a plurality of characteristics associated with non-public non-multi-user systems that are not used by different users; and classifying, via at least one of the one or more computing devices, the client computing device as a non-multi-user computing device in response to determining that the non-multi-user system confidence score meets a non-multi-user-system classification threshold.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein one of the plurality of characteristics associated with non-public non-multi-user systems is a lack of an indicator in the at least one network resource request that designates the client computing device as a particular type of public multi-user computing device.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein one of the plurality of characteristics associated with non-public non-multi-user systems is a lack of an indicator in the at least one network resource request that indicates that the client computing device executes a particular version of a software application used by public multi-user systems.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein one of the plurality of characteristics associated with non-public non-multi-user systems is that a content filter is not employed.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein one of the plurality of characteristics associated with non-public non-multi-user systems is a dynamic source network address associated with the at least one network resource request.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein one of the plurality of characteristics associated with non-public non-multi-user systems is that a location of the client computing device is employed as a shipping address.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein one of the plurality of characteristics associated with non-public non-multi-user systems is that a plurality of users of the client computing device employ a single billing address.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Johansson Jesper M
• Hanson Robert
• Hitchcock Daniel W
• Canavor Darren E

Classifications

• G06Q10/0633 Primary

  Workflow analysis · CPC title

• H04L67/42

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L67/303

  Terminal profiles · CPC title

• H04L41/12 Primary

  Discovery or management of network topologies · CPC title

• H04L67/01

  Protocols · CPC title