Systems and methods for web to mobile app correlation

• US 10,425,492 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2015
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bitly, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bitly, Inc.
• Inventors: Comstock, Christopher, Platzer, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheema, Umar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hollister, James Ross
• Application Number:
  US14/793,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20170013070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

The present application is directed to systems and methods for associating cookies of a linking system to a device identifier of the computing device. A server of a linking system can receive, from a browser of a computing device, a first request to access content via an encoded uniform resource locator (URL) link generated by the server and linked to a web page of the linking system. The server can redirect the browser of the computing device to the web page of the linking system. The server can receive a request to associate a cookie passed to a mobile application installed on the computing device with a device identifier of the computing device. The server can then associate the cookie with the device identifier.

Claims

1. A method for associating cookies of applications to a device identifier of a computing device, comprising;

receiving, by a server of a linking system, from a browser of a computing device, a first request to access content via a first encoded uniform resource locator (URL) link generated by the server of the linking system and linked to a first page of the linking system, the first encoded URL link linked to a first application;

redirecting, by the server of the linking system, the browser of the computing device, to the first page of the linking system, the first page of the linking system including instructions to cause the computing device to;

i) determine that the first application identified via the first encoded URL link is installed on the computing device;

ii) responsive to determining that the first application identified via the first encoded URL link is installed on the computing device, launch the first application installed on the computing device;

iii) pass, to the first application, a first application-specific cookie of the linking system, the first application-specific cookie of the linking system generated by the linking system specifically for the first application and the computing device; and

iv) send, to the linking system, a first request to associate the first application-specific cookie with a device identifier of the computing device;

receiving, by the server of the linking system, from the first application via the computing device responsive to passing the first application-specific cookie of the linking system, the first request to associate the first application-specific cookie of the linking system with the device identifier of the computing device, the first request including the first application-specific cookie of the linking system and the device identifier;

responsive to receiving the first request to associate, storing, by the server of the linking system in a data structure, an association between the device identifier and the first application-specific cookie and a first identity of the first application, the data structure configured to maintain associations with device identifiers and one or more application-specific cookies and identities of applications associated with the application-specific cookies;

receiving, by the server of the linking system, from the browser of the computing device, a second request to access content via a second encoded URL link generated by the server of the linking system and linked to a second page of the linking system;

redirecting, by the server of the linking system, the browser of the computing device to the second page of the linking system, the second page of the linking system including instructions to cause the computing device to;

i) launch a second application installed on the computing device,

ii) pass, to the second application, a second application-specific cookie of the linking system, the second application-specific cookie of the linking system generated by the linking system specifically for the second application and the computing device, and

iii) send, to the linking system, a second request to associate the second application-specific cookie with the device identifier of the computing device;

receiving, by the server of the linking system, from the second application via the computing device responsive to passing the second application-specific cookie of the linking system, the second request to associate the second application-specific cookie with the device identifier of the computing device, the second request including the second application-specific cookie of the linking system and the device identifier of the computing device;

responsive to receiving the second request to associate, storing, by the server of the linking system in the data structure, an association between the device identifier, the first application-specific cookie, the first identity of the first application, the second application-specific cookie, and a second identity of the second application; and

monitoring, by the server of the linking system, activity across the first application and the second application on the computing device based on the association between the device identifier of the computing device, the first application-specific cookie, the first identity of the first application, the second application-specific cookie of the linking system, and the second identity of the second application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first page includes a script to open a deep link of the application via the application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first page includes a script that causes the computing device to:

determine if the computing device includes the application;

responsive to determining that the computing device does not include the application, provide, for display, the content in a browser of the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a mobile device and the application is a mobile application installed on the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the association between the device identifier and the first application-specific cookie further comprises storing, in the data structure, an entry including the device identifier, the first application-specific cookie passed to the first application, and the first identity of the first application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the association between the device identifier, the first application-specific cookie, and the second application-specific cookie further comprises updating, in the data structure, an entry including the device identifier, the first application-specific cookie, and the first identity of the first application to include the second application-specific cookie passed to the second application and the second identity of the second application.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the server of the linking system, from a third application of the computing device, a third request to access content via a third encoded uniform resource locator (URL) link generated by the server of the linking system, the third request including the device identifier of the computing device;

determining, by the server, using the device identifier, that the third application of the computing device is not associated with any cookie of the linking system;

providing, by the server, to the third application of the computing device, a third application-specific cookie of the linking system generated by the linking system specifically for the third application and the computing device; and

associating, by the server, the third application-specific cookie with the device identifier and the first application-specific cookie and the second application-specific cookie.

8. A method for associating cookies of applications to a device identifier of a computing device, comprising:

receiving, by a server of a linking system, from a first application of a computing device, a first request to access content via a first encoded uniform resource locator (URL) link generated by the server of the linking system, the first request including a device identifier of the computing device;

determining, by the server of the linking system, using the device identifier, that the first application is not associated with any cookie of the linking system;

providing, by the server of the linking system, to the first application of the computing device, a first application-specific cookie of the linking system;

storing, by the server of the linking system onto a data structure, an association between the device identifier, the first application-specific cookie of the linking system, and a first identity of the first application, the database configured to maintain associations between device identifiers, one or more application-specific cookies, and identities of applications associated with the application-specific cookies;

receiving, by the server of the linking system, from the first application via the computing device, a second request to access content via a second encoded URL link generated by the server of the linking system and linked to a second page of the linking system, the second encoded URL link linked to a second application;

determining, by the server of the linking system that the second application is not associated with any cookie of the linking system;

providing, by the server of the linking system, a second application-specific cookie of the linking system generated by the linking system specifically for the second application and the computing device and instructions to cause the second application to send, to the linking system, a second request to associate the second application-specific cookie with the device identifier of the computing device;

receiving, by the server of the linking system, from the second application via the computing device, responsive to providing the second application-specific cookie to the second application, the second request to associate the second application-specific cookie with the device identifier of the computing device, the second request including the second application-specific cookie of the linking system and the device identifier;

responsive to the second request to associate, storing, by the server of the linking system in the data structure, the association between the device identifier, the first application-specific cookie, the first identity of the first application, the second application-specific cookie, and a second identity of the second application; and

monitoring, by the server of the linking system, activity across the first application and the second application installed on the computing device based on the association between the device identifier of the computing device, the first application-specific cookie, the first identity of the first application, the second application-specific cookie of the linking system, and the second identity of the second application.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining, by the server, using the device identifier, that the first application of the computing device is not associated with any cookie of the linking system includes performing, by the server of the linking system, a lookup in a database including association information between device identifiers and cookies of the linking system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein storing the association between the device identifier and the first application-specific cookie further comprises storing, by the server, in the data structure, an entry including the device identifier, the first application-specific cookie passed to the first application, and the first identity.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein providing, by the server, to the first application of the computing device, the first application-specific cookie of the linking system includes providing, by the server, to a web view of an application installed on the computing device, the first application-specific cookie to the first application identified by a script executing on the first page of the linking system linked to the first encoded URL link.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the computing device is a mobile device and the application is a mobile application installed on the mobile device.

13. A method for associating cookies of applications to a device identifier of a computing device, comprising;

responsive to receiving, from a browser of a computing device, a first request to access content via a first encoded uniform resource locator (URL) link generated by a server of a linking system and linked to a first page of the linking system, redirecting, by the server of the linking system, the browser of the computing device, to the first page of the linking system, the first page of the linking system including instructions to cause the computing device to;

i) determine that a first application identified via the encoded URL link is installed on the computing device;

ii) responsive to determining that the first application identified via the encoded URL link is installed on the computing device, launch the first application installed on the computing device;

iii) pass, to the first application, a first application-specific cookie of the linking system generated by the linking system specifically for the first application and the computing device; and

iv) to send, to the linking system, a second request to associate the second application-specific cookie with the device identifier of the computing device;

receiving, by the server of the linking system, from the first application via the computing device responsive to passing the first application-specific cookie of the linking system, a first request to associate the first application-specific cookie of the linking system with a device identifier of the computing device, the first request including the first application-specific cookie of the linking system and the device identifier;

responsive to receiving a request to associate the first application-specific cookie with the device identifier of the computing device from the first application, storing, by the server onto a data structure, an association between the device identifier, the first application-specific cookie, and a first identity of the first application, the data structure configured to maintain associations with device identifiers and one or more application-specific cookies and identities of applications associated with the application-specific cookies;

receiving, by the server, from the first application of the computing device, a second request to access content via a second encoded uniform resource locator (URL) link generated by the server of the linking system linked to a second page of the linking system, the second request including the device identifier of the computing device;

identifying, by the server of the linking system, a second application of the computing device through which to access the content;

responsive to determining that the second application of the computing device does not include a cookie of the linking system, providing, by the server of the linking system, to the second application of the computing device, a second application-specific cookie of the linking system;

receiving, by the server of the linking system, from the second application via the computing device responsive to passing the second application-specific cookie of the linking system, a second request to associate the second application-specific cookie with the device identifier of the computing device, the second request including the second application-specific cookie of the linking system and the device identifier;

storing, by the server of the linking system in the data structure, the association between the device identifier, the first application-specific cookie of the linking system, the first identity of the first application, the second application-specific cookie of the linking system, and a second identity of the second application; and

monitoring, by the server of the linking system, activity across the first application and the second application on the computing device based on the association between the device identifier of the computing device, the first application-specific cookie, the first identity of the first application, the second application-specific cookie of the linking system, and the second identity of the second application.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein storing the association between the device identifier, the first application-specific cookie, and the second application-specific cookie further comprises updating, by the server, in the data structure, an entry including the device identifier, the first application-specific cookie, and the first identity of the first application to include the second application-specific cookie and the second identity of the second application.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the computing device is a mobile device and the first application is a first mobile application installed on the mobile device and the second application is a second mobile application installed on the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first web page includes a script to open a deep link of the first application via the first application.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second web page includes a script to open a deep link of the second application via the second application.