Method and apparatus for providing product leak source identifications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9684773-B2
Application number	US-201113282930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2011
Priority date	Oct 27, 2011
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

An approach is provided for providing product leak source identification. A product leak detection platform determines one or more identifiers associated with one or more devices. The product leak detection platform further processes and/or facilitates a processing of the one or more identifiers to determine one or more variations of one or more user interface elements to be presented in at least one user interface of the one or more devices. The product leak detection platform also causes, at least in part, an installation of the one or more variations of the one or more user interface elements at the one or more devices, wherein a rendering of the one or more variations at the one or more devices facilitates, at least in part, a determination of the one or more identifiers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining one or more device identifiers associated with one or more devices;
determining one or more variations of one or more user interface elements to be presented in at least one user interface of the one or more devices, wherein the one or more variations for each of the one or more user interface elements are assigned randomly and wherein the one or more variations correspond to respective one or more values of respective digits of a unique user interface identifier represented by the one or more user interface elements;
linking the unique user interface identifier to the one or more device identifiers; and
installing the one or more variations of the one or more user interface elements at the one or more devices,
wherein a rendering of the one or more variations at the one or more devices facilitates, at least in part, a determination of the one or more device identifiers based on the unique user interface identifier.

2. A method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining one or more other identifiers associated with one or more applications, one or more services, one or more processes, or a combination thereof associated with the at least one user interface,
wherein the determination of the one or more variations is further based, at least in part, on the one or more other identifiers.

3. A method of claim 1 , wherein the unique user interface identifier is further linked to one or more applications, one or more services, one or more processes, or a combination thereof executing on the one or more devices.

4. A method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating an installation package including the one or more variations, wherein the installation of the one or more variations is via the installation package.

5. A method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining a request to install one or more applications, one or more services, one or more processes, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more variations; and
initiating the generation of the installation package based, at least in part, on the request.

6. A method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining at least one sample of the at least one user interface, the at least one sample presenting at least a portion of the one or more variations; and
processing the at least a portion of the one or more variations to determine the one or more identifiers based on the unique user interface identifier.

7. A method of claim 6 , further comprising:
processing the one or more identifiers to identify a source device, a source application, a source service, a source process, or a combination thereof from among the one or more devices.

8. A method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more device identifiers include, at least in part, an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), a user name, a user account, a user communication identifier, a device name, a software version identifier, a hardware version identifier, or a combination thereof.

9. A method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user interface elements include, at least in part, one or more icons, one or more menus, one or more task bar items, one or more graphical elements, one or more buttons, or a combination thereof; and wherein the one or more variations are based, at least in part, on one or more shapes, one or more sizes, one or more positions, one or more colors, one or more fonts, one or more formats, one or more styles, one or more sounds, one or more animations, or a combination thereof.

10. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
determine one or more device identifiers associated with one or more devices;
determine one or more variations of one or more user interface elements to be presented in at least one user interface of the one or more devices, wherein the one or more variations for each of the one or more user interface elements are assigned randomly and wherein the one or more variations correspond to respective one or more values of respective digits of a unique user interface identifier represented by the one or more user interface elements;

link the unique user interface identifier to the one or more device identifiers; and
install the one or more variations of the one or more user interface elements at the one or more devices,
wherein a rendering of the one or more variations at the one or more devices facilitates, at least in part, a determination of the one or more identifiers based on the unique user interface identifier.

11. An apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
determine one or more other identifiers associated with one or more applications, one or more services, one or more processes, or a combination thereof associated with the at least one user interface,
wherein the determination of the one or more variations is further based, at least in part, on the one or more other identifiers.

12. An apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the unique user interface identifier is further linked to one or more applications, one or more services, one or more processes, or a combination thereof executing on the one or more devices.

13. An apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
generate an installation package including the one or more variations,
wherein the installation of the one or more variations is via the installation package.

14. An apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
determine a request to install one or more applications, one or more services, one or more processes, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more variations; and
initiate the generation of the installation package based, at least in part, on the request.

15. An apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
determine at least one sample of the at least one user interface, the at least one sample presenting at least a portion of the one or more variations; and
process the at least a portion of the one or more variations to determine the one or more identifiers based on the unique user interface identifier.

16. An apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
process the one or more identifiers to identify a source device, a source application, a source service, a source process, or a combination thereof from among the one or more devices.

17. An apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more device identifiers include, at least in part, an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), a user name, a user account, a user communication identifier, a device name, a software version identifier, a hardware version identifier, or a combination thereof.

18. An apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more user interface elements include, at least in part, one or more icons, one or more menus, one or more task bar items, one or more graphical elements, one or more buttons, or a combination thereof; and wherein the one or more variations are based, at least in part, on one or more shapes, one or more sizes, one or more positions, one or more colors, one or more fonts, one or more formats, one or more styles, one or more sounds, one or more animations, or a combination thereof.

19. A method of claim 1 , further comprising:
randomly selecting the plurality o

Assignees

• Tuukkanen Marko Tapio
• Here Global Bv

Inventors

• Tuukkanen Marko Tapio

Classifications

• G06F21/645

  using a third party · CPC title

• G06F21/88

  Detecting or preventing theft or loss · CPC title

• G06F21/10

  Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material (protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16) {; Digital rights management [DRM]} · CPC title

• G06F21/14 Primary

  against software analysis or reverse engineering, e.g. by obfuscation · CPC title