SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED OPT-OUT RECOGNITION FOR A MOBILE DEVICE
A technique for identifying an opt-out status for a user's mobile or other computing device without relying exclusively on client-side storage or primarily on the use of non-determinative mechanisms is discussed. Embodiments provide server-based or otherwise hosted techniques of accurately identifying devices of users that wish to opt-out of having their device activity tracked. These techniques enable accurate identification of a device's opt-out status even in the absence of a client-side opt-out indicator.
1 . A method for associating opt-out status to a unified identifier (“Unified ID”) for a mobile device, comprising:
receiving at a host server a request for a Unified ID from a mobile device, the Unified ID being an identifier uniquely identifying the mobile device;
identifying a unique verification identifier for the mobile device;
creating the Unified ID for the mobile device at the host server in response to the request;
storing, via the host server, the Unified ID and the verification identifier in a storage location, the stored Unified ID associated with the stored verification identifier in the storage location;
transmitting the Unified ID to the mobile device for storage on the mobile device;
receiving a request at the host server from the mobile device for an opt-out status;
verifying the Unified ID with the verification identifier; and
assigning, via the host server, the opt-out status for the mobile device to the Unified ID, the opt-out status stored in the storage location and associated with the Unified ID.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a subsequent request at the host server from the mobile device, the subsequent request accompanied by the Unified ID;
verifying the Unified ID for the mobile device using the stored first verification identifier;
identifying, at the host server, based on the verifying, the opt-out status for the mobile device; and
processing the subsequent request at the host server based on the opt-out status.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a subsequent request at the host server from the mobile device, the subsequent request not accompanied by the Unified ID;
identifying the Unified ID for the mobile device using the stored first verification identifier;
identifying, at the host server, based on the identified Unified ID, the opt-out status for the mobile device; and
processing the subsequent request at the host server based on the opt-out status.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a plurality of different types of unique verification identifiers for the mobile device; and
storing and associating each of the plurality of different types of unique verification identifiers for the mobile device with the stored Unified ID in the storage location.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of different types of unique verification identifiers include at least two of a carrier ID, device ID, SIM card address, cookie, Ethernet card address, and advertising identifier.
6 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving a subsequent request at the host server from the mobile device, the subsequent request not accompanied by the Unified ID;
identifying the Unified ID for the mobile device using a second verification identifier from among the stored plurality of different types of unique verification identifiers associated with the stored Unified ID;
identifying, at the host server, based on the identified Unified ID, the opt-out status for the mobile device; and
processing the subsequent request at the host server based on the opt-out status.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a subsequent request at the host server from the mobile device, the subsequent request not accompanied by the Unified ID;
identifying the Unified ID for the mobile device using one of a probabilistic or statistical technique;
identifying, at the host server, based on the identifying of the Unified ID using one of a probabilistic or statistical technique, the opt-out status for the mobile device; and
processing the subsequent request at the host server based on the opt-out status.
8 . A non-transitory medium holding computer-executable instructions for associating opt-out status to a unified identifier (“Unified ID”) for a mobile device, the instructions when executed causing at least one computing device to:
receive at a host server a request for a Unified ID from a mobile device, the Unified ID being an identifier uniquely identifying the mobile device;
identify a unique verification identifier for the mobile device;
create the Unified ID for the mobile device at the host server in response to the request;
store, via the host server, the Unified ID and the verification identifier in a storage location, the stored Unified ID associated with the stored verification identifier in the storage location;
transmit the Unified ID to the mobile device for storage on the mobile device;
receive a request at the host server from the mobile device for an opt-out status;
verify the Unified ID with the verification identifier; and
assign, via the host server, the opt-out status for the mobile device to the Unified ID, the opt-out status stored in the storage location and associated with the Unified ID.
9 . The medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computing device to:
receive a subsequent request at the host server from the mobile device, the subsequent request accompanied by the Unified ID;
verify the Unified ID for the mobile device using the stored first verification identifier;
identify, at the host server, based on the verifying, the opt-out status for the mobile device; and
process the subsequent request at the host server based on the opt-out status.
10 . The medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computing device to:
receive a subsequent request at the host server from the mobile device, the subsequent request not accompanied by the Unified ID;
identify the Unified ID for the mobile device using the stored first verification identifier;
identify, at the host server, based on the identified Unified ID, the opt-out status for the mobile device; and
process the subsequent request at the host server based on the opt-out status.
11 . The medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computing device to:
identify a plurality of different types of unique verification identifiers for the mobile device; and
store and associate each of the plurality of different types of unique verification identifiers for the mobile device with the stored Unified ID in the storage location.
12 . The medium of claim 11 wherein the plurality of different types of unique verification identifiers include at least two of a carrier ID, device ID, SIM card address, cookie, Ethernet card address, and advertising identifier.
13 . The medium of claim 11 wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computing device to:
receive a subsequent request at the host server from the mobile device, the subsequent request not accompanied by the Unified ID;
identify the Unified ID for the mobile device using a second verification identifier from among the stored plurality of different types of unique verification identifiers associated with the stored Unified ID;
identify, at the host server, based on the identified Unified ID, the opt-out status for the mobile device; and
process the subsequent request at the host server based on the opt-out status.
14 . The medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computing device to:
receive a subsequent request at the host server from the mobile device, the subsequent request not accompanied by the Unified ID;
identify the Unified ID for the mobile device using one of a probabilistic or statistical technique;
identify, at the host server, based on the identifying of the Unified ID using one of a probabilistic or statistical technique, the opt-out status for the mobile device; and
process the subsequent request at the host server based on the opt-out status.
15 . A computing device configured for associating opt-out status to a unified identifier (“Unified ID”) for a mobile device, comprising:
a communication interface configured to receive over a network requests originating from a mobile device; and
a processor configured to execute instructions, the instructions when executing causing the computing device to:
receive a request for a Unified ID from a mobile device, the Unified ID being an identifier uniquely identifying the mobile device;
identify a unique verification identifier for the mobile device;
create the Unified ID for the mobile device in response to the request;
store the Unified ID and the verification identifier in a storage location, the stored Unified ID associated with the stored verification identifier in the storage location;
transmit the Unified ID to the mobile device for storage on the mobile device;
receive a request from the mobile device for an opt-out status;
verify the Unified ID with the verification identifier; and
assign the opt-out status for the mobile device to the Unified ID, the opt-out status stored in the storage location and associated with the Unified ID.
16 . The computing device of claim 15 wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computing device to:
receive a subsequent request from the mobile device, the subsequent request accompanied by the Unified ID;
verify the Unified ID for the mobile device using the stored first verification identifier;
identify, based on the verifying, the opt-out status for the mobile device; and
process the subsequent request based on the opt-out status.
17 . The computing device of claim 15 wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computing device to:
receive a subsequent request from the mobile device, the subsequent request not accompanied by the Unified ID;
identify the Unified ID for the mobile device using the stored first verification identifier;
identify, based on the identified Unified ID, the opt-out status for the mobile device; and
process the subsequent request based on the opt-out status.
18 . The computing device of claim 15 wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computing device to:
identify a plurality of different types of unique verification identifiers for the mobile device; and
store and associate each of the plurality of different types of unique verification identifiers for the mobile device with the stored Unified ID in the storage location.
19 . The computing device of claim 15 wherein the plurality of different types of unique verification identifiers include at least two of a carrier ID, device ID, SIM card address, cookie, Ethernet card address, and advertising identifier.
20 . The computing device of claim 15 wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computing device to:
receive a subsequent request from the mobile device, the subsequent request not accompanied by the Unified ID;
identify the Unified ID for the mobile device using a second verification identifier from among the stored plurality of different types of unique verification identifiers associated with the stored Unified ID;
identify, based on the identified Unified ID, the opt-out status for the mobile device; and
process the subsequent request based on the opt-out status.