Methods and apparatus for anonymous user identification and content personalization in wireless communication

• US 8,768,314 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2012
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chien, Herman
• Primary Examiner(s): SAMS, MATTHEW C
• Application Number:
  US13/597,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20120322429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 380/274, 705/74, 4554141-4144, 455418-420, 455/558, 455/458
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6254 by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing personalized content to a user of a wireless network include establishing an anonymous user identifier and delivering the user identifier to a content provider are disclosed. Based on the user identifier, communication with a predetermined data source is established or predetermined data content is selected. In some embodiments, a device identifier is provided in addition to the user identifier and device specific personalized content is delivered to the user. In one example, a device identifier and a user identifier are based on a mobile station serial number and a subscriber identity module (SIM) and are used in an HTTP header. The anonymous user identifier can be based on a SIM serial number, or a hash of the SIM serial number so that user information such as a user phone numbers is not available to content providers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a computer associated with a content provider, a content request from a communication device comprising a subscriber identity module associated with a user identifier, the content request being received with a device identifier and the user identifier and requesting personalized content, wherein the communication device has processed a subscriber identity module card serial number of the subscriber identity module with a hash function to produce a hash value associated with a user of the communication device, wherein the communication device combines the hash value with a device identifier and uses the device identifier with the subscriber identity module card to create a user profile, and wherein the computer receives a combination of the hash value and the device identifier;

associating, by the computer, content with a user profile including a plurality of personalization parameters and a plurality of device specific content parameters, the plurality of personalization parameters associated with a hash value generated by hashing the user identifier using a hash function, and the plurality of device specific content parameters associated with the device identifier, wherein the content is customized with a further user profile comprising the plurality of personalization parameters and a plurality of further device specific content parameters when the content request is received with the user identifier and a further device identifier, the further device identifier associated with a further communication device being used with the subscriber identity module card, wherein the plurality of personalization parameters are combined with a further plurality of device specific content parameters associated with the further communication device sent from the further communication device when the subscriber identity module is in the further communication device to create the further user profile, the user profile and the further user profile together creating a family of user profiles for the user, wherein the further user profile is accessed when content is requested from the further communication device, and wherein the user profile is accessed with content is requested from the communication device; and

transmitting, by the computer, the personalized content to the communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the plurality of personalization parameters with the user identifier and the plurality of device specific content parameters with the device identifier to create the user profile.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the device identifier comprises a mobile station international subscriber directory number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier comprises a subscriber identity module card serial number.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein hashing the user identifier comprises hashing the subscriber identity module card serial number with the hash function to produce the hash value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device identifier comprises an international mobile station equipment identity.

7. A system comprising:

a computer associated with a content provider; and

a device in communication with the content provider, the device comprising a subscriber identity module card that specifies a user identifier and being associated with a device identifier, wherein the device generates a content request for personalized content, the request comprising a personalization parameter associated with a hash value, and a device specific content parameter, the device specific content parameter being associated with a device identifier, to create a user profile, the hash value being created by the device by processing a subscriber identity module card serial number of a subscriber identity module being used with the device, wherein the device sends the content request for personalized content to the computer, the content request including the device identifier and the user identifier,

wherein the computer receives the content request and configures content to generate the personalized content, the computer configuring the content according to

a user profile including a personalization parameter associated with the user identifier, the personalization parameter being associated with a hash value generated by hashing an identifier associated with the subscriber identity module card using a hash function, wherein the hash value is combined with a further device identifier from a further device when the subscriber identity module card is in the further device to create a further user profile, the user profile and the further user profile together creating a family of user profiles for a user, wherein the further user profile is accessed when content is requested from the further device, the user profile being accessed when content is requested from the device,

a device specific content parameter associated with the device identifier, and

a further user profile obtained by combining the hash value with a further device identifier, the further user profile including the personalization parameter and a further device specific content parameter, the content request including the user identifier and a further device identifier associated with a further communication device that uses the subscriber identity module card.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the personalization parameter is specified in a header of the content request.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the personalization parameter is associated with a user of the device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the device specific content parameter is associated with a serial number of the device.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising a mobile switching center in communication with the content provider.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the device sends a personalization identifier to the network.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the content provider stores the user profile and the further user profile, the user profile and further user profile each including a content identifier.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the content is based on the device, a user location, and a user calendar.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein the content provider communicates with the device via a telephone network.

16. The system of claim 7, wherein the content provider provides financial data, entertainment, and messaging.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a content request from a communication device comprising a subscriber identity module associated with a user identifier, the content request being received with a device identifier and the user identifier and requesting personalized content, wherein the communication device has processed a subscriber identity module card serial number of the subscriber identity module with a hash function to produce a hash value associated with a user of the communication device, wherein the communication device combines the hash value with a device identifier and uses the device identifier with the subscriber identity module card to create a user profile, and wherein a combination of the hash value and the device identifier is received;

associating content with a user profile including a plurality of personalization parameters and a plurality of device specific content parameters, the plurality of personalization parameters associated with a hash value generated by hashing the user identifier using a hash function, and the plurality of device specific content parameters associated with the device identifier, wherein the content is customized with a further user profile comprising the plurality of personalization parameters and a plurality of further device specific content parameters when the content request is received with the user identifier and a further device identifier, the further device identifier associated with a further communication device being used with the subscriber identity module card, wherein the plurality of personalization parameters are combined with a further plurality of device specific content parameters associated with the further communication device sent from the further communication device when the subscriber identity module is in the further communication device to create the further user profile, the user profile and the further user profile to ether creating a family of user profiles for the user, wherein the further user profile is accessed when content is requested from the further communication device, and wherein the user profile is accessed with content is requested from the communication device; and

transmitting the personalized content to the communication device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium in claim 17, wherein the device identifier is a mobile station international subscriber directory number.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium in claim 17, wherein the mobile station international subscriber directory number is combined with a hash function.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium in claim 17, wherein the device identifier is a device serial number, and wherein the device serial number and a subscriber identity module card serial number define the user profile.