Content-based association of device to user

• US 9,769,143 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2016
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gracenote, Inc. (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: Gracenote, Inc. (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Inventors: Jeffrey, Michael, Scherf, Steven D., Cremer, Markus K.
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMITOSKI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US15/140,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20160241540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• 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 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/75 Temporary identity

Abstract

Example methods and systems for content-based association of a device to a user are presented. In an example method, data corresponding to each of a plurality of items of content stored within a user device are accessed. A device identifier for the user device is generated based on the data. The device identifier is transmitted from the user device to a service device to associate the user device with a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing, by one or more hardware processors, metadata of content items accessible by a device on which applications are executable, the content items including distinct and overlapping first and second portions of the content items;

generating, by the one or more hardware processors executing a first module, a first identifier based on first metadata that describes the first portion of the content items, the first module corresponding to a first application whose access to the content items is limited to the first portion;

providing the first identifier to a server machine configured to assign the first identifier to a user identifier;

generating, by the one or more hardware processors executing a second module, a second identifier based on second metadata that describes the second portion of the content items, the second module corresponding to a second application whose access to the content items is limited to the second portion; and

providing the second identifier to the server machine configured to;

determine that the first and second portions are overlapping portions of the content items, based on the provided first and second identifiers; and

assign the user identifier to the second identifier based on the first and second portions being overlapping portions of the content items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first application is limited by first permissions to access only the first portion among the content items; and

the second application is limited by second permissions to access only the second portion among the content items.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the generating of the first identifier includes hashing the first metadata that describes the first portion of the content items; and

the generating of the second identifier includes hashing the second metadata that describes the second portion of the content items.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the assigned user identifier from the server machine; and

configuring the second application to perform a customized operation based on the received user identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion of the content images includes audio files; and

the first metadata specifies at least one of play counts of the audio files, sizes of the audio files, or creation dates of the audio files.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion of the content items includes image files; and

the first metadata specifies at least one of location data of the image files, sizes of the image files, or creation dates of the image files.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion of the content items includes video files; and

the first metadata specifies at least one of play counts of the video files, sizes of the video files, or creation dates of the video files.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion of the content items includes contact information items; and

the first metadata specifies contact names of the contact information items.

9. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor among the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising;

accessing metadata of content items accessible by a device on which applications are executable, the content items including distinct and overlapping first and second portions of the content items;

generating, by a first module, a first identifier based on first metadata that describes the first portion of the content items, the first module corresponding to a first application whose access to the content items is limited to the first portion;

providing the first identifier to a server machine configured to assign the first identifier to a user identifier;

generating, by a second module, a second identifier based on second metadata that describes the second portion of the content items, the second module corresponding to a second application whose access to the content items is limited to the second portion; and

providing the second identifier to the server machine configured to;

determine that the first and second portions are overlapping portions of the content items, based on the provided first and second identifiers; and

assign the user identifier to the second identifier based on the first and second portions being overlapping portions of the content items.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

accessing metadata of content items accessible by a device on which applications are executable, the content items including distinct and overlapping first and second portions of the content items;

generating, by a first module, a first identifier based on first metadata that describes the first portion of the content items, the first module corresponding to a first application whose access to the content items is limited to the first portion;

providing the first identifier to a server machine configured to assign the first identifier to a user identifier;

generating, by a second module, a second identifier based on second metadata that describes the second portion of the content items, the second module corresponding to a second application whose access to the content items is limited to the second portion; and

providing the second identifier to the server machine configured to;

determine that the first and second portions are overlapping portions of the content items, based on the provided first and second identifiers; and

assign the user identifier to the second identifier based on the first and second portions being overlapping portions of the content items.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more hardware processors, a first identifier generated based on first metadata that describes a first portion of content items accessible by a device on which applications are executable, the content items including a distinct second portion that overlaps the first portion, the first identifier being generated by a first module that corresponds to a first application whose access to the content items is limited to the first portion;

assigning, by the one or more hardware processors, the first identifier to a user identifier;

receiving, by the one or more hardware processors, a second identifier generated based on second metadata that describes the second portion of the content items, the second identifier being generated by a second module that corresponds to a second application whose access to the content items is limited to the second portion;

determining, by the one or more hardware processors, that the first and second portions are overlapping portions of the content items accessible by the device, the determining being based on the received first and second identifiers; and

assigning, by the one or more hardware processors, the user identifier to the second identifier based on the first and second portions being overlapping portions of the content items.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the first application is limited by first permissions to access only the first portion among the content items; and

the second application is limited by second permissions to access only the second portion among the content items.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the received first identifier includes a first hash of the first metadata that describes the first portion of the content items; and

the received second identifier includes a second hash of the second metadata that describes the second portion of the content items.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing the assigned user identifier to the device, the providing of the user identifier causing the device to configure the second application to perform a customized operation based on the provided user identifier.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the first portion of the content images includes audio files; and

the first metadata specifies at least one of play counts of the audio files, sizes of the audio files, or creation dates of the audio files.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the first portion of the content items includes image files; and

the first metadata specifies at least one of location data of the image files, sizes of the image files, or creation dates of the image files.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the first portion of the content items includes video files; and

the first metadata specifies at least one of play counts of the video files, sizes of the video files, or creation dates of the video files.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the first portion of the content items includes contact information items; and

the first metadata specifies contact names of the contact information items.

19. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor among the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving a first identifier generated based on first metadata that describes a first portion of content items accessible by a device on which applications are executable, the content items including a distinct second portion that overlaps the first portion, the first identifier being generated by a first module that corresponds to a first application whose access to the content items is limited to the first portion;

assigning the first identifier to a user identifier;

receiving a second identifier generated based on second metadata that describes the second portion of the content items, the second identifier being generated by a second module that corresponds to a second application whose access to the content items is limited to the second portion;

determining that the first and second portions are overlapping portions of the content items accessible by the device, the determining being based on the received first and second identifiers; and

assigning the user identifier to the second identifier based on the first and second portions being overlapping portions of the content items.

20. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first identifier generated based on first metadata that describes a first portion of content items accessible by a device on which applications are executable, the content items including a distinct second portion that overlaps the first portion, the first identifier being generated by a first module that corresponds to a first application whose access to the content items is limited to the first portion;

assigning the first identifier to a user identifier;

receiving a second identifier generated based on second tnetadata that describes the second portion of the content items, the second identifier being generated by a second module that corresponds to a second application whose access to the content items is limited to the second portion;

determining that the first and second portions are overlapping portions of the content items accessible by the device, the determining being based on the received first and second identifiers; and

assigning the user identifier to the second identifier based on the first and second portions being overlapping portions of the content items.