Cross-Browser, Cross-Machine Recoverable User Identifiers

• US 20140046772A1
• Filed: 08/08/2012
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Raman, Srinivasan
• Granted Patent: US 8,977,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.66
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Methods and systems to identify a user across multiple browsers and machines are described. In some embodiments, a web request is received at a retrieval service from a browser. The web request may include a request to access a retrieval service website of the retrieval service and may be initiated by a redirection of the browser from a requesting service to the retrieval service. A unique identifier associated with a user logged in to an account of the retrieval service may be determined. The user may be logged in to the account via the browser. A redirect request is sent from the retrieval service to the browser. The redirect may include the unique identifier and may redirect the browser from the retrieval service website to the requesting service. The unique identifier may be used by the requesting service to perform additional functionality specific to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving at a retrieval service a web request from a browser, the web request including a request to access a retrieval service website of the retrieval service, the web request being initiated by a redirection of the browser from a requesting service website of a requesting service to the retrieval service;

determining a unique identifier associated with a user logged in to an account associated with the retrieval service, the user logged in to the account via the browser; and

sending a redirect request from the retrieval service to the browser, the redirect request including the unique identifier and redirecting the browser from the retrieval service website to the requesting service, wherein the unique identifier is used by the requesting service to perform additional functionality specific to the user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is used to provide content relevant to the user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is used to track activity history of the user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the requesting service is enrolled with the retrieval service; and

tracking information associated with redirection from the requesting service to the retrieval service.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, creating a requesting service account associated with the requesting service if the retrieval service determines that the requesting service is not enrolled with the retrieval service.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the retrieval service website is associated with a predetermined web address associated with the requesting service.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier included in the redirect request is specific to the requesting service.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving at a requesting service a web request from a browser, the web request requesting access to a requesting service website of the requesting service;

sending a first redirect request from the requesting service to the browser, the first redirect request redirecting the browser from the requesting service website to a retrieval service website of a retrieval service;

receiving at the requesting service a second redirect request from the browser, the second redirect request including a unique identifier associated with a user logged in to an account associated with the retrieval service, the user logged in to the account via the browser, the second redirect request redirecting the browser from the retrieval service website to the requesting service;

accessing data associated with the unique identifier; and

performing additional functionality specific to the user based on the data.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the additional functionality includes providing content relevant to the user.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the data includes activity history of the user.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the retrieval service website is associated with a predetermined web address associated with the requesting service.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

tracking activity history of the user, and

associating the activity history with the unique identifier.

13. A retrieval service server comprising:

a hardware-implemented communication module configured to receive a web request from a browser, the web request including a request to access a retrieval service website of the retrieval service server, the web request being initiated by a redirection of the browser from a requesting service website of a requesting service to the retrieval service server, the communication module further configured to send a redirect request to the browser, the redirect request including a unique identifier and redirecting the browser from the retrieval service website to the requesting service; and

a hardware-implemented unique identifier retrieval module in communication with the communication module and configured to determine the unique identifier associated with a user logged in to an account associated with the retrieval service, the user logged in to the account via the browser, wherein the unique identifier is used by the requesting service to perform additional functionality specific to the user.

14. The retrieval service server of claim 13, wherein the unique identifier is used to provide an advertisement relevant to the user.

15. The retrieval service server of claim 13, wherein the unique identifier is used to track history activity of the user.

16. The retrieval service server of claim 13, further comprising:

a registration module configured to register one or more requesting servers with the retrieval service server; and

a requesting service profile module configured to maintain account information associated with the one or more requesting servers including maintaining information associated with usage of the retrieval service server.

17. The retrieval service server of claim 13, further comprising:

a payment module configured to manage retrieval service payments from the requesting service.

18. A requesting service server comprising:

a hardware-implemented communication module configured to receive a web request from a browser, the web request requesting access to a requesting service website of the requesting service server;

a hardware-implemented retrieval service request module in communication with the communication module and configured to send a first redirect request to the browser, the first redirect request redirecting the browser to a retrieval service website of a retrieval service, the retrieval service request module further configured to receive a second redirect request from the browser, the second redirect request including a unique identifier associated with a user logged in to an account associated with the retrieval service, the user being in to the account via the browser, the second redirect request redirecting the browser from the retrieval service website to the retrieval service request module; and

a hardware-implemented unique identifier management module in communication with the communication module and the retrieval service request module, the unique identifier management module configured to access data associated with the unique identifier.

19. The requesting service server of claim 18, further comprising:

an advertisement management module configured to provide relevant advertisements to the user using the data.

20. The requesting service server of claim 18, further comprising:

a user activity history tracking module configured to track activity history of the user and further configured to associate the activity history with the unique identifier.

21. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations, comprising:

receiving at a retrieval service a web request from a browser, the web request including a request to access a retrieval service website of the retrieval service, the web request being initiated by a redirection of the browser from a requesting service website of a requesting service to the retrieval service;

determining a unique identifier associated with a user logged in to an account associated with the retrieval service, the user logged in to the account via the browser; and

sending a redirect request from the retrieval service to the browser, the redirect request including the unique identifier and redirecting the browser from the retrieval service website to the requesting service, wherein the unique identifier is used by the requesting service to perform additional functionality specific to the user.

22. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations, comprising:

receiving at a requesting service a web request from a browser, the web request requesting access to a requesting service website of the requesting service;

sending a first redirect request from the requesting service to the browser, the first redirect request redirecting the browser from the requesting service website to a retrieval service website of a retrieval service;

receiving at the requesting service a second redirect request from the browser, the second redirect request including a unique identifier associated with a user logged in to an account associated with the retrieval service, the user logged in to the account via the browser, the second redirect request redirecting the browser from the retrieval service website to the requesting service;

accessing data associated with the unique identifier; and

performing additional functionality specific to the user based on the data.