Setting cookies across applications

• US 9,288,118 B1
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pattan, Neha Gangadhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US13/759,797
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Systems and methods for setting cookies across applications on a device include receiving a first cookie indicating authorization of a first application on the device to use an online account. A second cookie indicating that the first application is authorized to use the online account may be set in a second application on the device.

Claims

1. A method of setting a cookie on a device comprising:

receiving, at a processor, a content selection request from a first application executing on the device, the content selection request including a first cookie indicating an authorization of the first application to use an online account;

selecting, in response to the content selection request, third-party content for presentation within the first application, the third-party content selected based in part on information associated with the online account;

providing an indication of the selected third-party content to the first application on the device;

receiving, at the processor via a second application on the device, interaction data indicating an interaction with the third-party content within the first application and including the first cookie; and

setting a second cookie in the second application based on a determination that the interaction data does not include the second cookie, the second cookie indicating authorization of the second application to use the online account.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the processor, an indication that the first application has been logged out of the online account; and

causing, by the processor, the second cookie to be cleared from the second application on the device based on the first application having been logged out of the online account.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the indication that the first application has been logged out of the online account includes a unique identifier for the device, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the processor, a second content selection request from the second application on the device, and wherein the second cookie is cleared from the second application based on a determination that the second content selection request includes the unique identifier for the device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the unique identifier for the device is based in part on a hardware serial number of the device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the unique identifier for the device comprises a cookie.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the online account is associated with at least one of:

a social networking service, a navigation service, an online communication service, or a file storage service.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first application is a stand-alone application configured to access at least one of:

the social networking service, the navigation service, the online communication service, or the file storage service.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second application comprises a web browser.

9. A system for setting a cookie on a device comprising a processor operable to:

receive a content selection request from a first application executing on the device, the content selection request including a first cookie indicating authorization of the first application to use an online account;

select, in response to the content selection request, third-party content for presentation within the first application, the third-party content selected based in part on information associated with the online account;

provide an indication of the selected third-party content to the first application executing on the device;

receive, via a second application on the device, data indicating interaction with the third-party content within the first application and including the first cookie; and

set a second cookie in the second application based on a determination that the interaction data does not include the second cookie, the second cookie indicating authorization of the second application to use the online account.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further operable to:

receive an indication that the first application has been logged out of the online account; and

cause the second cookie to be cleared from the second application on the device based on the first application having been logged out of the online account.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the indication that the first application has been logged out of the online account includes a unique identifier for the device, the processor being further configured to receive a second content selection request from the second application on the device, and wherein the second cookie is cleared from the second application based on a determination that the second content selection request includes the unique identifier for the device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the unique identifier for the device is based in part on a hardware serial number of the device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the unique identifier for the device comprises a cookie.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the online account is associated with at least one of:

a social networking service, a navigation service, an online communication service, or a file storage service.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first application is a stand-alone application configured to access at least one of:

the social networking service, the navigation service, the online communication service, or the file storage service.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second application comprises a web browser.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, the instructions being executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a content selection request from a first application executing on the device, the content selection request including a first cookie indicating authorization of the first application to use an online account;

selecting, in response to the content selection request, third-party content for presentation within the first application, the third-party content selected based in part on information associated with the online account;

providing an indication of the selected third-party content to the first application executing on the device;

receiving, via a second application on the device, data indicating interaction with the third-party content within the first application and including the first cookie; and

setting a second cookie in the second application based on a determination that the interaction data does not include the second cookie, the second cookie indicating authorization of the second application to use the online account.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the online account is associated with at least one of:

a social networking service, a navigation service, an online communication service, or a file storage service.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the first application is a stand-alone application configured to access at least one of:

the social networking service, the navigation service, the online communication service, or the file storage service.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the second application comprises a web browser.