DEVICE AND PROCESS FOR UNIQUE INTERNET ACCESS IDENTIFICATION

• US 20080196095A1
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheynblat, Leonid, Rose, Gregory G., Oliva, Elio J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,042,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0248 Avoiding fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

A process and device for uniquely identifying an Internet enabled device with a unique identification. The process can include receiving an identification when an Internet user accesses an Internet resource, and determining position-based information for at least one of an Internet user and an Internet enabled device based on the identification. The identification may be authenticated, to reduce fraud. The identification may further be used to determine whether or not the device is in a particular geographic area of interest.

Claims

1. An internet enabled device, comprising:

a hardware-coded unique device identifier; and

control logic to perform operations comprising;

receiving an indication of a selection of a particular Internet resource; and

in response to receiving the indication of the selection of the particular internet resource, transmitting information indicative of the unique device identifier and information indicative of the selection of the particular internet resource.

2. The internet enabled device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining information indicative of the position of the Internet enabled device; and

transmitting the information indicative of the position of the Internet enabled device.

3. The internet enabled device of claim 1, wherein the hardware-coded unique device identifier comprises a hardware-coded key.

4. The internet enabled device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise encrypting the hardware-coded unique device identifier.

5. The Internet enabled device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining information indicative of a selection time associated with selection of the Internet resource; and

transmitting the information indicative of the selection time.

6. The Internet enabled device of claim 1, further comprising one or more motion sensors configured to generate information indicative of motion of the Internet enabled device, and wherein the operations further comprise transmitting information indicative of the motion.

7. An Internet system comprising:

a receiver to receive information indicative of a unique identifier of an Internet enabled device in response to a selection of an Internet resource at the Internet enabled device, wherein the information indicative of the unique identifier is generated using a hardware-coded identifier of the Internet enabled device; and

control logic configured to perform operations comprising;

processing the information indicative of the unique identifier; and

determining if the selection of the Internet resource is authenticated, based on the processing the information indicative of the unique identifier.

8. The Internet system of claim 7, wherein the processing the information indicative of the unique identifier comprises decrypting the information indicative of the unique identifier with a locally stored cryptographic key.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

if the selection of the Internet resource is authenticated, generating an indication that the selection of the Internet resource is a valid click.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

if the selection of the Internet resource is not authenticated, generating an indication that the selection of the Internet resource is an invalid click.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

if the selection of the Internet resource is not authenticated, indicating that the selection of the Internet resource is provisionally an invalid click.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise receiving location information associated with a location of the Internet-enabled device, and wherein the operations further comprise:

comparing the location of the Internet-enabled device to a geographical area of applicability for the Internet resource; and

if the location of the Internet-enabled device is included in the geographical area of applicability for the Internet resource, designating the selection of the Internet resource as a valid click associated with the Internet resource.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein designating the selection of the Internet resource as a valid click comprises counting the click.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the location information is based on at least one of satellite positioning signals, wireless network location, IP address location, and proxy server location.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise receiving information having at least one information type selected from the group consisting of time information associated with a time of the selection of the Internet resource, information indicative of Internet enabled device movement, and information indicative of IP address of the Internet enabled device.

16. The system of claim 7 wherein the information indicative of a unique identifier includes abstracted information.

17. The system of claim 7, wherein the information indicative of a unique identifier includes encrypted information encrypted with a first hardware-included key, and wherein a second locally stored key is configured to decrypt information encrypted with the first key.

18. The system of claim 7, wherein the Internet resource comprises an advertisement, and wherein the system further includes a server associated with a service provider hosting the advertisement, and wherein the control logic is included in the server.

19. An Internet system comprising:

means for receiving information indicative of a unique identifier of an Internet enabled device in response to a selection of an Internet resource at the Internet enabled device, wherein the information indicative of a unique identifier is generated using a hardware-coded identifier of the Internet enabled device; and

means for processing the information indicative of the unique identifier; and

means for determining if the selection of the Internet resource is authenticated based on the processing the information indicative of the unique identifier.

20. The Internet system of claim 19, wherein the means for processing the information indicative of the unique identifier comprises means for decrypting the information indicative of the unique identifier with a locally stored cryptographic key.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for generating an indication that the selection of the Internet resource is a valid click if the selection of the Internet resource is authenticated.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for generating an indication that the selection of the Internet resource is an invalid click if the selection of the Internet resource is not authenticated.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for receiving information indicative of a unique identifier of an Internet enabled device comprises means for receiving location information associated with a location of the Internet-enabled device, and wherein the system further comprises:

means for comparing the location of the Internet-enabled device to a geographical area of applicability for the Internet resource; and

means for designating the selection of the Internet resource as a valid click associated with the Internet resource if the location of the Internet-enabled device is included in the geographical area of applicability for the Internet resource.

24. A process for uniquely identifying an Internet enabled device with a unique hardware-coded device identifier, comprising:

in response to the Internet enabled device selecting an Internet resource, receiving information indicative of the unique device identifier of the Internet enabled device; and

determining if the selection of the Internet enabled device is authenticated using the information indicative of the unique device identifier.

25. The process of claim 24, further comprising receiving information indicative of a position of the Internet enabled device.

26. The process of claim 25, further comprising determining whether a position of the Internet enabled device is included in a geographic area of applicability of the Internet resource, based the information indicative of the position of the Internet enabled device.

27. The process of claim 26, further comprising, if the position of the Internet enabled device is included in the geographic area of applicability, determining that the selection of the Internet resource is valid.

28. The process of claim 27, further comprising counting the selection of the Internet resource as a click in response to determining that the selection of the Internet resource is valid.

29. The process of claim 26, further comprising, if the position of the Internet enabled device is not included in the geographic area of applicability, indicating that the selection of the Internet resource is not valid.

30. The process of claim 26, further comprising, if the position of the Internet enabled device is not included in the geographic area of applicability, not counting the access of the Internet resource as a click.

31. The process of claim 24, wherein determining if the selection of the Internet enabled device is authenticated using the information indicative of the unique device identifier comprises decrypting the information indicative of the unique identifier with a locally stored cryptographic key.

32. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a processor cause the processor to uniquely identify an Internet enabled device, the machine-readable medium comprising:

instructions to, in response to the Internet enabled device selecting an Internet resource, receive information indicative of the unique device identifier of the Internet enabled device; and

instructions to determine if the selection of the Internet enabled device is authenticated using the information indicative of the unique device identifier.

33. The machine readable medium of claim 32, further comprising instructions to receive information indicative of the position of the Internet enabled device.

34. The machine readable medium of claim 33, further comprising:

instructions to determine whether the position of the Internet enabled device is included in a geographic area of applicability of the Internet resource, based the information indicative of the position of the Internet enabled device.

35. The machine readable medium of claim 34, further comprising

instructions to, if the position of the Internet enabled device is included in the geographic area of applicability, determine that the selection of the Internet resource is valid.

36. The machine readable medium of claim 35, further comprising

instructions to count the selection of the Internet resource as a click in response to determining that the selection of the Internet resource is valid.

37. The machine readable medium of claim 34, further comprising:

instructions to, if the position of the Internet enabled device is not included in the geographic area of applicability, indicate that the selection of the Internet resource is not valid.

38. The machine readable medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions to determine if the selection of the Internet enabled device is authenticated using the information indicative of the unique device identifier comprise instructions to decrypt the information indicative of the unique identifier with a cryptographic key.

39. An internet enabled device, comprising:

a hardware-coded unique device identifier;

means for receiving an indication of a selection of a particular internet resource; and

means for transmitting information indicative of the unique device identifier and information indicative of the selection of the particular internet resource in response to receiving the indication of the selection of the particular internet resource.

40. The internet enabled device of claim 39, further comprising means for determining information indicative of the position of the Internet enabled device, and wherein means for transmitting information indicative of the unique device identifier and information indicative of the selection of the particular internet resource in response to receiving the indication of the selection of the particular internet resource includes means for transmitting the information indicative of the position of the Internet enabled device.

41. The internet enabled device of claim 39, wherein the hardware-coded unique device identifier comprises a hardware-coded key.

42. The internet enabled device of claim 39, further comprising means for encrypting the hardware-coded unique device identifier.

43. The Internet enabled device of claim 39, further comprising means for determining information indicative of a selection time associated with selection of the Internet resource, and wherein the means for transmitting information indicative of the unique device identifier and information indicative of the selection of the particular internet resource includes means for transmitting the information indicative of the selection time.

44. The Internet enabled device of claim 39, further comprising means for generating information indicative of motion of the Internet enabled device, and wherein the means for transmitting information indicative of the unique device identifier and information indicative of the selection of the particular internet resource includes means for transmitting the information indicative of the motion.

45. A process for transmitting a unique identifier, comprising:

accessing a hardware-coded unique device identifier;

receiving an indication of a selection of a particular internet resource; and

in response to receiving the indication of the selection of the particular internet resource, transmitting information indicative of the unique device identifier and information indicative of the selection of the particular internet resource.

46. The process of claim 45, further comprising:

determining information indicative of the position of the Internet enabled device, and transmitting the information indicative of the position of the Internet enabled device.

47. The process of claim 45, wherein the hardware-coded unique device identifier comprises a hardware-coded key.

48. The process of claim 45, further comprising encrypting the hardware-coded unique device identifier.

49. The process of claim 45, further comprising determining information indicative of a selection time associated with selection of the Internet resource, and transmitting the information indicative of the selection time.

50. The process of claim 45, further comprising accessing information indicative of motion of the Internet enabled device, and transmitting the information indicative of the motion.

51. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a processor cause the processor to uniquely identify an Internet enabled device, the machine-readable medium comprising:

instructions to access a hardware-coded unique device identifier;

instructions to receive an indication of a selection of a particular internet resource; and

instructions to, in response to receiving the indication of the selection of the particular internet resource, transmit information indicative of the unique device identifier and information indicative of the selection of the particular internet resource.

52. The machine readable medium of claim 51, further comprising instructions to determine information indicative of the position of the Internet enabled device, and instructions to transmit the information indicative of the position of the Internet enabled device.

53. The machine readable medium of claim 51, wherein the hardware-coded unique device identifier comprises a hardware-coded key.

54. The machine readable medium of claim 51, further comprising instructions to encrypt the hardware-coded unique device identifier.

55. The machine readable medium of claim 51, further comprising instructions to determine information indicative of a selection time associated with selection of the Internet resource, and instructions to transmit the information indicative of the selection time.

56. The machine readable medium of claim 51, further comprising instructions to access information indicative of motion of the Internet enabled device, and instructions to transmit the information indicative of the motion.