Setting cookies across applications

• US 9,553,934 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2016
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pattan, Neha
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US15/049,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20160173615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• 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 for setting cookies across applications on a device, the method comprising:

receiving, at one or more data processors, a content request from a first application executing on the device, the content request including a first cookie including an account identifier, the first cookie stored in a first cookie space for the first application;

selecting, responsive to the content request, third-party content for presentation with first party-content of the first application based on the account identifier;

serving the third-party content to the first application executing on the device, the third-party content comprising a command to execute a second application on the device;

receiving, at the one or more data processors, interaction data indicating an interaction with the served third-party content from the second application executing on the device; and

transmitting data to store a second cookie in a second cookie space for the second application responsive to the interaction data excluding a cookie including the account identifier for the second application, the second cookie space separate from the first cookie space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first cookie space is inaccessible by the second application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein second application is a web browser and wherein the command is a link to a web page.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting data to store the second cookie in the second cookie space comprises an HTTP set cookie command.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting data to store the second cookie in the second cookie space comprises a value for a script.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application is an application for one of:

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

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the third-party content based on the account identifier comprises selecting the third-party content based on one of:

content accessed by the account identifier, content uploaded for the account identifier, social networking actions for the account identifier, or searches by the account identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the account identifier is a hashed account identifier.

9. A system for setting cookies across applications on a device comprising:

one or more data processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving a content request from a first application executing on the device, the content request including a first cookie including an account identifier, the first cookie stored in a first cookie space for the first application;

serving third-party content for presentation with the first application executing on the device, the third-party content comprising a command to execute a second application on the device;

receiving interaction data indicating an interaction with the served third-party content from the second application executing on the device; and

transmitting data to store a second cookie in a second cookie space for the second application responsive to the interaction data excluding a cookie with the account identifier for the second application, the second cookie space separate from the first cookie space, the first cookie space being inaccessible by the second application.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein second application is a web browser and wherein the command is a link to a web page.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein transmitting data to store the second cookie in the second cookie space comprises an HTTP set cookie command.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein transmitting data to store the second cookie in the second cookie space comprises a value for a script.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first application is an application for one of:

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

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the account identifier is a hashed account identifier.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, the instructions being executable by one or more data processors to cause the one or more data processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving a content request from a first application executing on a device, the content request including a first cookie including an account identifier, the first cookie stored in a first cookie space for the first application;

selecting, responsive to the content request, third-party content for presentation with first party-content of the first application based on the account identifier;

serving the third-party content for presentation with the first application executing on the device, the third-party content comprising a command to execute a second application on the device;

receiving interaction data indicating an interaction with the served third-party content from the second application executing on the device; and

transmitting data to store a second cookie in a second cookie space for the second application responsive to the interaction data excluding a cookie including the account identifier for the second application, the second cookie space separate from the first cookie space, the first cookie space being inaccessible by the second application.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein second application is a web browser and wherein the command is a link to a web page.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first application is an application for one of:

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

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein selecting the third-party content based on the account identifier comprises selecting the third-party content based on one of:

content accessed by the account identifier, content uploaded for the account identifier, social networking actions for the account identifier, or searches by the account identifier.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the account identifier is a hashed account identifier.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein transmitting data to store the second cookie in the second cookie space comprises an HTTP set cookie command or a value for a script.