METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING TARGETED INFORMATION USING IDENTITY MASKING IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE

• US 20090013024A1
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Aggarwal, Pooja, Krishnaswamy, Dilip, Daley, Robert S., Lundqvist, Patrik
• Granted Patent: US 9,398,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/101 by binding digital rights to specific entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1062 Editing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1063 Personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1073 Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1075 Editing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1078 Logging; Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6254 by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2145 Inheriting rights or properties, e.g., propagation of permissions or restrictions within a hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 : Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 : for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• 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 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 : from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing user information from a wireless access terminal (W-AT) to a remote apparatus without revealing a primary identity of the user of the W-AT include generating an alternate user identifier for the W-AT, and providing the alternate user identifier and first information related to targeted-content-message information and/or user profile information to the remote apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of providing user information from a wireless access terminal (W-AT) to a remote apparatus without revealing a primary identity of the user of the W-AT, the method comprising:

generating an alternate user identifier for the W-AT;

generating first information on the W-AT based on at least one of targeted-content-message information on the W-AT, and user profile information on the W-AT; and

providing the alternate user identifier and first information to the remote apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information includes one or more items of information associated with the W-AT.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second information from the remote apparatus based on the alternate user identifier and the first information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more targeted content messages from the remote apparatus based on the second information.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

incorporating the second information in the user profile of the W-AT.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second information is derive from a database having census information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second information is information relating to at least one of a likely age and an ethnic background of the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first information is a geographic location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternate user identifier is a hashed value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the source of the hashed value is based on the primary identifier.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the source of the hashed value is based on one of a value provided by the remote apparatus, a random value, a pseudo-random value, and a time-based value.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the hashed value is calculated to provide a low probability of collision with other generated values.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the alternate user identifier in response to a request for targeted-content-message-related data, thereby providing a unique identifier without identifying a specific user device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first information generated on the W-AT provides targeted-content-message-related metrics without identifying a user of the W-AT.

40. The computer program product of claim 37, method of claim 1, wherein the alternate user identifier is a hashed value.

41. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein the source of the hashed value is based on the primary identifier.

42. The computer program product of claim 41, wherein the source of the hashed value is based on one of a value provided by the remote apparatus, a random value, a pseudo-random value, and a time-based value.

43. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein the hashed value is calculated to provide a low probability of collision with other generated values.

15. A wireless access terminal (W-AT) capable of delivering targeted-content-messages to a consumer, comprising:

means for generating an alternate user identifier for the W-AT; and

means for providing the alternate user identifier and first information to the remote apparatus.

16. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the first information includes one or more items of information associated with the W-AT.

17. The terminal of claim 16, further comprising:

means for receiving second information from the remote apparatus based on the alternate user identifier and second information.

18. The terminal of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving one or more targeted content messages from the remote apparatus based on the second information.

19. The terminal of claim 17, wherein the second information is incorporated in the user profile of the W-AT.

20. The terminal of claim 19, wherein the second information is derive from a database having census information.

21. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the second information is information relating to at least one of a likely age and an ethnic background of the user.

22. The terminal of claim 21, wherein the first information is a geographic location.

23. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the alternate user identifier is a hashed value.

24. The terminal of claim 23, wherein the source of the hashed value is based on the primary identifier.

25. The terminal of claim 23, wherein the source of the hashed value is based on one of a value provided by the remote apparatus, a random value, a pseudo-random value, and a time-based value.

26. The terminal of claim 23, wherein the hashed value is calculated to provide a low probability of collision with other generated values.

27. A wireless access terminal (W-AT) capable of delivering targeted-content-messages to a consumer, comprising:

a first processing circuit module configured to generate an alternate user identifier for the W-AT; and

transmitting circuitry configured to provide the alternate user identifier and first information to the remote apparatus.

28. The terminal of claim 27, wherein the first information includes one or more items of information associated with the W-AT.

29. The terminal of claim 28, wherein the receiving circuitry is also configured to receive second information from the remote apparatus based on the alternate user identifier and second information.

30. The terminal of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving circuitry configured to receive one or more targeted content messages from the remote apparatus based on the second information.

31. The terminal of claim 30, wherein the second information is incorporated in the user profile of the W-AT.

32. The terminal of claim 31, wherein the second information is derive from a database having census information, wherein the second information is information relating to at least one of a likely age and an ethnic background of the user, and wherein the first information is a geographic location.

33. The terminal of claim 32, wherein the alternate user identifier is a hashed value.

34. The terminal of claim 33, wherein the source of the hashed value is based on the primary identifier.

35. The terminal of claim 33, wherein the source of the hashed value is based on one of a value provided by the remote apparatus, a random value, a pseudo-random value, and a time-based value.

36. The terminal of claim 33, wherein the hashed value is calculated to provide a low probability of collision with other generated values.

37. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of instructions for generating an alternate user identifier for the W-AT;

a second set of instructions for providing the alternate user identifier and first information to the remote apparatus, the first information including one or more items of information associated with the W-AT;

a third set of instructions for receiving second information from the remote apparatus based on the alternate user identifier and second information; and

a fourth set of instructions for incorporating the second information in the user profile of the W-AT.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the second information is derive from a database having census information.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the second information is information relating to at least one of a likely age and an ethnic background of the user, and wherein the first information is a geographic location.

44. One or more integrated circuits that together comprise:

processing circuitry configured to generate an alternate user identifier for the W-AT;

transmit circuitry configured to transmit the alternate user identifier and first information to the remote apparatus, the first information including one or more items of information associated with the W-AT; and

receiving circuitry configured to receive second information from the remote apparatus based on the alternate user identifier and second information.

45. An apparatus, comprising:

processing circuitry; and

a memory coupled to the processing circuitry that includes;

a first set of instructions for generating an alternate user identifier for the W-AT;

a second set of instructions for providing the alternate user identifier and first information to the remote apparatus, the first information including one or more items of information associated with the W-AT;

a third set of instructions for receiving second information from the remote apparatus based on the alternate user identifier and second information; and

a fourth set of instructions for incorporating the second information in the user profile of the W-AT.