Multi-identifier user profiling system

• US 10,459,986 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kneen, Ben, Gupta, Ajay
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganger, Arthur
• Application Number:
  US13/931,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20150006529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,314 Days
• Field of Search: 707736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/337 Profile generation, learning or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Systems and methods for profiling a user include providing a user account to a user and, in response, storing a user account identifier in association with the user account in a database. First user data is then received that is associated with the user account identifier and that includes activity associated with the user account, and the first user data is association with the user account in the database. Subsequent user data is then received that includes information about the user and that is associated with additional user identifiers and the user account identifier and, in response, the additional user identifiers are association with the user account identifier and each other in the database, and the additional user data is associated with the user account in the database. A user profile may then be creating using the first user data, the second user data, and the third user data.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a non-transitory memory storing a first user identifier, wherein the first user identifier was created based on communications with a user through a network via a first user subsystem; and

one or more hardware processors coupled to the non-transitory memory and configured to execute instructions to cause the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving, through the network from the first user subsystem, first user subsystem activity data that is associated with the first user identifier and that was generated in response to a use of the first user subsystem by the user via a first user resource;

determining that the user does not have a user account with an entity associated with the system based on the first user identifier not being associated with any user accounts maintained by the system;

storing, in the non-transitory memory, the first user subsystem activity data as unknown user subsystem activity data with the first user identifier;

receiving an account creation request from the user, wherein the request comprises at least the first user identifier;

generating a first user account for the user based on the account creation request and the first user identifier;

retrieving the first user subsystem activity data from the non-transitory memory based on the first user identifier;

updating the first user account with the first user subsystem activity data;

receiving, through the network from a second user subsystem that is different than the first user subsystem, second user subsystem activity data that is associated with the first user identifier and a second user identifier that is different from the first user identifier, wherein the second user subsystem activity data was generated in response to a use of the second user subsystem by the user via a second user resource that is different than the first user resource;

storing, in the non-transitory memory in response to the second user subsystem activity data being associated with the first user identifier, the second user subsystem activity data and the second user identifier in association with the first user account;

generating a user profile using the first user subsystem activity data and the second user subsystem activity data that are associated with the first user account;

receiving, through the network from a third user subsystem that is different from the first user subsystem and the second user subsystem, third user subsystem activity data that is associated with the first user identifier and a third user identifier that is different from the first user identifier and the second user identifier, wherein the third user subsystem activity data was generated in response to a use of the third user subsystem by the user via a third user resource that is different than the first user resource and the second user resource;

storing, in the non-transitory memory in response to the third user subsystem activity data being associated with the first user identifier, the third user subsystem activity data and the third user identifier in association with the first user account; and

updating the user profile using the third user subsystem activity data associated with the first user account.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, through the network from a fourth user subsystem that is different from the first user subsystem, the second user subsystem, and the third user subsystem, and prior to storing the first user identifier in association with the first user account, fourth user subsystem activity data that is associated with a fourth user identifier;

storing the fourth user subsystem activity data in the non-transitory memory;

determining that the fourth user identifier matches one of the first user identifier, the second user identifier, or the third user identifier; and

storing, in response to determining that the fourth user identifier matches one of the first user identifier, the second user identifier, or the third user identifier, the fourth user subsystem activity data and the fourth user identifier in association with the first user account in the non-transitory memory.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, through the network from a fourth user subsystem that is different from the first user subsystem, the second user subsystem, and the third user subsystem, fourth user subsystem activity data that is associated with a first hashed user identifier;

performing a hashing operation on at least one of the first user identifier, the second user identifier, or the third user identifier to produce a second hashed user identifier;

determining that the first hashed user identifier matches the second hashed user identifier; and

storing, in the non-transitory memory in response to determining that the first hashed user identifier matches the second hashed user identifier, the fourth user subsystem activity data in association with the first user account.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a query that includes one of the first user identifier, the second user identifier, or the third user identifier;

searching, in response to receiving the query, each of the first user subsystem activity data, the second user subsystem activity data, and the third user subsystem activity data that are associated with the first user account in the in the non-transitory memory; and

returning a result based on the searching.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second user resource is a user payment account application and the second user subsystem is a payment subsystem, and wherein the second user subsystem activity data generated in response to the use of the second user subsystem by the user via the second user resource includes at least one use of the payment subsystem by the user for at least one purchase via the user payment account application.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second user resource is an Internet browser application and the second user subsystem is a website subsystem, and wherein the second user subsystem activity data generated in response to the use of the second user subsystem by the user via the second user resource includes at least one use of the website subsystem by the user to perform at least one visit to a website via the Internet browser application.

7. A method for profiling a user, comprising:

receiving, by a system provider device through a network from a first user subsystem, first user subsystem activity data that is associated with a first user identifier and that was generated in response to a use of the first user subsystem by a user via a first user resource;

determining that the user does not have a user account with an entity associated with the system provider device based on the first user identifier not being associated with any user accounts maintained by the system provider device;

storing, by the system provider device in a user account database, the first user subsystem activity data as unknown user subsystem activity data with the first user identifier;

receiving an account creation request from the user, wherein the request comprises at least the first user identifier;

generating a first user account for the user based on the account creation request and the first user identifier;

retrieving the first user subsystem activity data based on the first user identifier;

updating the first user account with the first user subsystem activity data;

receiving, by the system provider device through the network from a second user subsystem that is different than the first user subsystem, second user subsystem activity data that that is associated with the first user identifier and a second user identifier that is different than the first user identifier, wherein the second user subsystem activity data was generated in response to a use of the second user subsystem by the user via a second user resource that is different than the first user resource;

storing, by the system provider device in the user account database in response to the second user subsystem activity data being associated with the first user identifier, the second user subsystem activity data and the second user identifier in association with the first user account;

generating, by the system provider device, a user profile using the first user subsystem activity data and the second user subsystem activity data that are associated with the first user account;

receiving, by the system provider device through the network from a third user subsystem that is different from the first user subsystem and the second user subsystem, third user subsystem activity data that is associated with the first user identifier and a third user identifier that is different from the first user identifier and the second user identifier, wherein the third user subsystem activity data was generated in response to use of the third user subsystem by the user via a third user resource that is different than the first user resource and the second user resource;

storing, by the system provider device in the user account database in response to the third user subsystem activity data being associated with the first user identifier, the third user subsystem activity data and the third user identifier in association with the first user account; and

updating, by the system provider device, the user profile to include the third user subsystem activity data associated with the first user account.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, by the system provider device through the network from a fourth user subsystem that is different from the first user subsystem, the second user subsystem, and the third user subsystem, fourth user subsystem activity data that is associated with a fourth user identifier;

storing, by the system provider device in the user account database, the fourth user subsystem activity data; and

determining, by the system provider device, that the fourth user identifier matches one of the first user identifier, the second user identifier, or the third user identifier and, in response, associating the fourth user identifier with the first user account.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, by the system provider device through the network from a fourth user subsystem that is different from the first user subsystem, the second user subsystem, and the third user subsystem, fourth user subsystem activity data that is associated with a first hashed user identifier;

performing, by the system provider device, a hashing operation on at least one of the first user identifier, the second user identifier, or the third user identifier to produce a second hashed user identifier;

determining that the first hashed user identifier matches the second hashed user identifier; and

storing, by the system provider device in the user account database in response to determining that the first hashed user identifier matches the second hashed user identifier, the fourth user subsystem activity data in association with the first user account.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, by the system provider device, a query that includes one of the first user identifier, the second user identifier, and the third user identifier;

searching, by the system provider device in response to receiving the query, each of the first user subsystem activity data, the second user subsystem activity data, and the third user subsystem activity data that are associated with the first user account in the user account database; and

returning, by the system provider device, a result based on the searching.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the second user resource is a user payment account application and the second user subsystem is a payment subsystem, and wherein the second user subsystem activity data generated in response to the use of the second user subsystem by the user via the second user resource includes at least one use of the payment subsystem by the user for at least one purchase via the payment account application.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the second user resource is an Internet browser application and the second user subsystem is a website subsystem, and wherein the second user subsystem activity data generated in response to the use of the second user subsystem by the user via the second user resource includes at least one use of the website subsystem by the user to perform at least one visit to a website via the Internet browser application.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the first user resource is a third party application and the first user subsystem is a third party service provided by a third party device that is different than the system provider device and the user device, and wherein the first user subsystem activity data generated in response to the use of the first user subsystem by the user via the first user resource includes at least one use of the third party service by the user via the third party application.

14. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-readable instructions executable to cause a machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving, through a network from a first user subsystem, first user subsystem activity data that is associated with a first user identifier and that was generated in response to a use of the first user subsystem by a user via a first user resource;

determining that the user does not have a user account with an entity associated with a user payment account database based on the first user identifier not being associated with any user accounts in the user payment account database;

storing, in the user payment account database, the first user subsystem activity data as unknown user subsystem activity data with the first user identifier;

an account creation request for the first user account from the user, wherein the request comprises at least the first user identifier;

generating a first user account for the user based on the account creation request and the first user identifier;

retrieving the first user subsystem activity data based on the first user identifier;

updating the first user account with the first user subsystem activity data;

receiving, through the network from a second user subsystem that is different than the first user subsystem, second user subsystem activity data that is associated with the first user identifier and a second user identifier that is different from the first user identifier, wherein the second user subsystem activity data was generated in response to a use of the second user subsystem by the user via a second user resource that is different than the first user resource;

storing, in the user account database in response to the second user subsystem activity data being associated with the first user identifier, the second user subsystem activity data and the second user identifier in association with the first user account;

generating a user profile using the first user subsystem activity data and the second user subsystem activity data that are associated with the first user account;

receiving, through the network from a third user subsystem that is different from the first user subsystem and the second user subsystem, third user subsystem activity data that is associated with the first user identifier and a third user identifier that is different from the first user identifier and the second user identifier, wherein the third user subsystem activity data was generated in response to a use of the third user subsystem by the user via a third user resource that is different than the first user resource and the second user resource;

storing, in the user account database in response to the third user subsystem activity data being associated with the first user identifier, the third user subsystem activity data and the third user identifier in association with the first user account; and

updating the user profile to include the third user subsystem activity data associated with the first user account.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, through the network from a fourth user subsystem that is different from the first user subsystem, the second user subsystem, and the third user subsystem, fourth user subsystem activity data that is associated with a fourth user identifier;

storing the fourth user subsystem activity data in the user account database; and

determining that the fourth user identifier matches one of the first user identifier, the second user identifier, or the third user identifier and, in response, associating the fourth user identifier with the first user account.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, through the network from a fourth user subsystem that is different from the first user subsystem, the second user subsystem, and the third user subsystem, fourth user subsystem activity data that is associated with a first hashed user identifier;

performing a hashing operation on at least one of the user account identifier, the first user identifier, and the second user identifier to produce a second hashed user identifier;

determining that the first hashed user identifier matches the second hashed user identifier; and

storing, in the user account database in response to determining that the first hashed user identifier matches the second hashed user identifier, the fourth user subsystem activity data in association with the first user account.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a query that includes one of the first user identifier, the second user identifier, and the third user identifier;

searching, in response to the receiving the query, each of the first user subsystem activity data, the second user subsystem activity data, and the third user subsystem activity data that are associated with the first user account in the user account database; and

returning a result based on the searching.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the second user resource is a user payment account application and the second user subsystem is a payment subsystem, and wherein the second user subsystem activity data generated in response to the use of the second user subsystem by the user via the second user resource includes at least one use of the payment subsystem by the user for at least one purchase via the user payment account application.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the second user resource is an Internet browser application and the second user subsystem is a website subsystem, and wherein the second user subsystem activity data generated in response to the use of the first user subsystem by the user via the second user resource includes at least one use of the website subsystem by the user to perform at least one visit to a website via the Internet browser application.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the first user resource is a third party application and the first user subsystem is a third party service provided by a third party device, and wherein the first user subsystem activity data generated in response to the use of the first user subsystem by the user via the first user resource includes at least one use of the third party service by the user via the third party application.