Inferring user identity across multiple applications and user devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9936044-B2
Application number	US-201414574906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 18, 2014
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

The present teaching relates to creating and updating a user profile related to multiple devices, and synchronizing applications' sessions for the user on different devices. Upon execution of a first application on a first device, a first device ID associated with the first device and information about the first application are received. A user profile is created based on the first device ID and the information about the first application. Upon execution of a second application on a second device related to the first device, a second device ID associated with the second device and information about the second application are received. The user profile is updated based on the second device ID and the information about the second application. Further, the information about the first application is applied to the execution of the second application on the second device, or vice-versa.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method, implemented on a machine having one or more processors, a storage unit, and a communication platform capable of making a connection to a network to create and update a user profile related to a plurality of devices, the method comprising:
responsive to an execution of a first application on a first device in a first session in which a user is logged on to a cloud network via the first device, wherein a cloud-based identifier is associated with the user's session with the cloud network and a first device identifier is associated with the first device:
creating, by a profile creation and update unit, a user profile specific to the user, and storing the user profile at the storage unit, and
recording, in the user profile, the first device identifier and information related to the first application, and optionally, the cloud-based identifier; and

responsive to an execution of a second application on a second device in a second session in which the user is logged on to the cloud network via the second device, wherein a second device identifier is associated with the second device, and wherein the second device is different than the first device:
receiving, from the second device, via the communication platform, a query to determine whether a target user profile, including the first device identifier or the cloud-based identifier, exists,
processing, by a query processing unit, the query to determine whether the target user profile exists, and

responsive to a determination that the target user profile exists, adding, by the profile creation and update unit, the second device identifier and information related to the second application in the target user profile,
wherein the user is logged on via a third device to another cloud network different from the cloud network, the third device having a third application installed thereon, wherein the third application and at least one of the first and second applications are configured to be logged-on into using certain app-login information, the method further comprising:
recording, by the profile creation and update unit, the app-login information specific to the user in the user profile; and
responsive to an execution of the third application on the third device:
determining, by the query processing unit, whether the third application is being logged-on into using the app-login information specific to the user, and
responsive to a determination that the third application is being logged-on into using the app-login information specific to the user, adding, by the profile creation and update unit, a third device identifier associated with the third device and information related to the third application in the user profile.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second applications belong to a same set of related applications.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
creating by a device ID unit, or receiving from the first device, the first device identifier; and
creating by the device ID unit, or receiving from the second device, the second device identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
processing, by a cloud ID processing unit, the cloud-based identifier based on the first device identifier to generate a processed cloud-based identifier,
wherein responsive to the user logging on to the cloud network via the second device, the second device is configured to receive and process the processed cloud-based identifier via the cloud network, and the query is generated based on the processed cloud-based identifier, and
wherein said processing the query comprises processing the query to determine whether the target user profile including the first device identifier exists.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising recording, by the profile creation and update unit, the cloud-based identifier in the user profile,
wherein said processing the query comprises processing the query to determine whether the target user profile including the cloud-based identifier exists.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information related to the first application and/or the second application comprises personalized application configuration information, the method further comprising:
configuring, by an app update unit, the first application or presenting content via the first application, based on the personalized application configuration information of the second application, and/or
configuring, by the app update unit, the second application or presenting content via the second application, based on the personalized application configuration information of the first application.

7. A system to create and update a user profile related to a plurality of devices, the system comprising:
a storage unit;
one or more processors configured to execute computer program instructions from a machine readable medium to:
in being responsive to an execution of a first application on a first device in a first session in which a user is logged on to a cloud network via the first device, wherein a cloud-based identifier is associated with the user's session with the cloud network and a first device identifier is associated with the first device,
create a user profile specific to the user, and store the user profile at the storage unit, and
record, in the user profile, the first device identifier and information related to the first application, and optionally, the cloud-based identifier; and

in being responsive to an execution of a second application on a second device in a second session in which the user is logged on to the cloud network via the second device, wherein a second device identifier is associated with the second device, and wherein the second device is different than the first device,
receive, from the second device, a query to determine whether a target user profile including the first device identifier or the cloud-based identifier exists, and
process the query to determine whether the target user profile exists,

in being responsive to a determination that the target user profile exists, add the second device identifier and information related to the second application in the target user profile,
wherein the user is logged on via a third device to another cloud network different from the cloud network, the third device having a third application installed thereon, wherein the third application and at least one of the first and second applications are configured to be logged-on into using certain app-login information,
in being responsive to an execution of the third application on the third device, determine whether the third application is being logged-on into using the app-login information specific to the user,
record the app-login information specific to the user in the user profile, and
responsive to a determination that the third application is being logged-on into using the app-login information specific to the user, add a third device identifier associated with the third device and information related to the third application in the user profile.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first and second applications belong to a same set of related applications.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are operable to:
create the first device identifier or the second device identifier; and
receive the first device identifier from the first device or the second device identifier from the second device.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are operable to:
process the cloud-based identifier based on the first device identifier to generate a processed cloud-based identifier,
wherein responsive to the user logging on to the cloud network via the

Assignees

• Yahoo Inc
• Excalibur Ip Llc

Inventors

• Allinson Ric
• Low Daryl
• Lahtiranta Atte

Classifications

• H04L67/1097

  for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] · CPC title

• H04L67/306 Primary

  User profiles · CPC title