Method and apparatus for a device identifier based solution for user identification

• US 9,723,463 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2010
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kriinen, Teemu, Otranen, Jari Tapio
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Yuk Ting
• Application Number:
  US12/911,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20120102008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,472 Days
• Field of Search: 70799901, 707999107, 707783, 707999009, 707703
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

An approach is provided for a device identifier based solution for user identification. A device identifier component receives from a user device a request for access to a service platform. The device identifier component determines one or more identifiers associated with the user device and generates a record of the access with respect to the one or more identifiers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving from a user device a user request to access a service platform of a service provider from an unregistered user, and the service platform comprising at least one processor, wherein the access comprises access by the unregistered user to a service on the service platform;

determining, by the service platform, one or more identifiers associated with the user device, wherein the one or more identifiers are device identifiers and comprise one or more of an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), a Mobile Country Code (MCC), a Mobile Network Code (MNC), and a Mobile Station Identifier Number (MSIN);

generating a record of the access with respect to the one or more identifiers;

determining based on the one or more identifiers whether the user device has previously accessed the service;

associating the record from one or more previous accesses to the service with the user device while the user remains unregistered with a user account after the unregistered user creates a registered user account; and

causing, at least in part, a heuristic analysis of the one or more identifiers to determine whether the user device has previously accessed the service when at least two of the identifiers are matched in the record of the one or more previous accesses to the service,

wherein the heuristic analysis is based, at least in part, on assigning different identification strengths to the one or more identifiers based on characteristics of the one or more identifiers, the strengths reflecting how readily the one or more identifiers transferred from one device to another or from one user to another.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the record comprises information regarding one or more actions, one or more activities and one or more behaviors associated with the access by the user for performing digital rights management.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adapting the access to the service platform for the user based, at least in part, on the record from the one or more previous accesses to the service by the user device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a registered user account is associated with the request; and

associating the record with the registered user account.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining to create a registered user account associated with the request, and associating the one or more identifiers with the registered user account; and

determining to associate the record with the registered user account.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more identifiers comprise one or more subscriber identity module card numbers, and the method further comprising:

determining based, at least in part, on the one or more subscriber identity module card numbers whether the user has previously accessed the service; and

associating the record from one or more previous accesses to the service with the user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the heuristic analysis is based, at least in part, on a number of the one or more identifiers.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the heuristic analysis is based, at least in part, on a number of the one or more identifiers, the method comprising:

assigning the one or more identification strengths to reflect a greater identification strength for the user device having a plurality of identifiers than would be assigned for a user device having fewer identifiers.

6. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

determine, by a service platform of a service provider, one or more identifiers associated with a user device in response to a request from the user device to access the service platform sent from an unregistered user, wherein the one or more identifiers comprise one or more of an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), a Mobile Country Code (MCC), a Mobile Network Code (MNC) and a Mobile Station Identifier Number (MSIN), wherein the access comprises access by the user to a service on the service platform;

generate a record of the access with respect to the one or more identifiers;

determine based on the one or more identifiers whether the user device has previously accessed the service when at least two of the identifiers are matched in the record of the one or more previous accesses to the service;

associate the record from one or more previous accesses to the service with the user device while the user remains unregistered with a user account after the unregistered user creates a registered user account; and

cause, at least in part, a heuristic analysis of the one or more identifiers to determine whether the user device has previously accessed the service when at least two of the identifiers are matched in the record of the one or more previous accesses to the service,

wherein the heuristic analysis is based, at least in part, on assigning different identification strengths to the one or more identifiers based on characteristics of the one or more identifiers, the strengths reflecting how readily the one or more identifiers transferred from one device to another or from one user to another.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the record comprises information regarding one or more actions, one or more activities and one or more behaviors associated with the access by the user for performing digital rights management.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine to adapt the access to the service platform for the user based, at least in part, on the record from the one or more previous accesses to the service by the user device.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine to create a registered user account associated with the request, and associate the one or more identifiers with the registered user account; and

determine to associate the record with the registered user account.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

receiving from a user device a user request to access a service platform of a service provider from an unregistered user, and the service platform comprising at least one processor, wherein the access comprises access by the unregistered user to a service on the service platform;

determining, by the service platform, one or more identifiers associated with the user device, where in the one or more identifiers are device identifiers and comprise one or more of an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), a Mobile Country Code (MCC), a Mobile Network Code (MNC), and a Mobile Station Identifier Number (MSIN); and

generating a record of the access with respect to the one or more identifiers;

determining based on the one or more identifiers whether the user device has previously accessed the service;

associating the record from one or more previous accesses to the service with the user device while the user remains unregistered with a user account after the unregistered user creates a registered user account; and

causing, at least in part, a heuristic analysis of the one or more identifiers to determine whether the user device has previously accessed the service when at least two of the identifiers are matched in the record of the one or more previous accesses to the service,

wherein the heuristic analysis is based, at least in part, on assigning different identification strengths to the one or more identifiers based on characteristics of the one or more identifiers, the strengths reflecting how readily the one or more identifiers transferred from one device to another or from one user to another.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

determining whether a registered user account is associated with the request; and

associating the record with the registered user account.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

determining to create a registered user account associated with the request, and associate the identifiers with the registered user account; and

determining to associate the record with the registered user account.