Mobile device identification using second entity matching
An improved technique for identifying a user's mobile device is discussed. A persistent and unified identifier that bridges mobile app to mobile web and to other web browser-compatible mediums is utilized. Using a unique verification identifier, the unified identifier is consistently verified, revived and distributed across application and browser mediums.
1 . A computing device implemented method for improved identification of a mobile device, the computing device including one or more processors, the method comprising:
identifying at a host server a unique first verification identifier for a mobile device that includes anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information,
creating a unified identifier (“Unified ID”) for the mobile device at the host server;
storing the identified first verification identifier and the Unified ID in a storage location, the stored first verification identifier associated with the stored Unified ID in the storage location;
transmitting a copy of the Unified ID from the host server to the mobile device for storage on the mobile device;
receiving one or more verification identifiers and one or more associated sets of data at the host server, the one or more verification identifiers identified by a second entity;
matching the unique first verification identifier or another verification identifier associated with the Unified ID with the one or more verification identifiers received from the second entity; and
performing, based on the matching, an association of one of the one or more associated sets of data received from the second entity with the Unified ID.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information is an email address.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information is a physical address.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information is a phone number.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a request for a resource at the host server from the mobile device, the request not accompanied by the Unified ID;
verifying the Unified ID for the mobile device using the unique verification identifier or one of the one or more verification identifiers;
processing the request, based on the verifying.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a request at the host server from the mobile device, the request accompanied by the Unified ID;
verifying the Unified ID that accompanied the request using the unique verification identifier or one of the one or more verification identifiers;
processing the request, based on the verifying.
7 . A non-transitory medium holding computer-executable instructions for improved identification of a mobile device, the instructions when executed by one or more processors causing at least one computing device to:
identify at a host server a unique first verification identifier for a mobile device that includes anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information;
create a unified identifier (“Unified ID”) for the mobile device at the host server;
store the identified first verification identifier and the Unified ID in a storage location, the stored first verification identifier associated with the stored Unified ID in the storage location;
transmit a copy of the Unified ID from the host server to the mobile device for storage on the mobile device;
receive one or more verification identifiers and one or more associated sets of data at the host server, the one or more verification identifiers identified by a second entity;
match the unique first verification identifier or another verification identifier associated with the Unified ID with the one or more verification identifiers received from the second entity; and
perform, based on the matching, an association of one of the one or more associated sets of data received from the second entity with the Unified ID.
8 . The medium of claim 7 , wherein the anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information is an email address.
9 . The medium of claim 7 , wherein the anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information is a physical address.
10 . The medium of claim 7 , wherein the anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information is a phone number.
11 . The medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at lest one computing device to:
receive a request for a resource at the host server from the mobile device, the request not accompanied by the Unified ID;
verify the Unified ID for the mobile device using the unique verification identifier or one of the one or more verification identifiers;
process the request, based on the verifying.
12 . The medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at lest one computing device to:
receive a request at the host server from the mobile device, the request accompanied by the Unified ID;
verify the Unified ID that accompanied the request using the unique verification identifier or one of the one or more verification identifiers;
process the request, based on the verifying.
13 . A computing device configured for improved identification of 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 for a verification module, the verification module when executing causing the computing device to:
identify a unique first verification identifier for a mobile device that includes anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information;
create a unified identifier (“Unified ID”) for the mobile device;
store the identified first verification identifier and the Unified ID in a storage location, the stored first verification identifier associated with the stored Unified ID in the storage location;
transmit a copy of the Unified ID to the mobile device for storage on the mobile device;
receive one or more verification identifiers and one or more associated sets of data, the one or more verification identifiers identified by a second entity;
match the unique first verification identifier or another verification identifier associated with the Unified ID with the one or more verification identifiers received from the second entity; and
perform, based on the matching, an association of one of the one or more associated sets of data received from the second entity with the Unified ID.
14 . The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information is an email address.
15 . Computing device of claim 13 , wherein the anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information is a physical address.
16 . The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information is a phone number.
17 . The computing device of claim 13 wherein the verification module when executing further causes the computing device to:
receive a request for a resource from the mobile device, the request not accompanied by the Unified ID;
verify the Unified ID for the mobile device using the unique verification identifier or one of the one or more verification identifiers;
process the request, based on the verifying.
18 . The computing device of claim 13 wherein the verification module when executing further causes the computing device to:
receive a request from the mobile device, the request accompanied by the Unified ID;
verify the Unified ID that accompanied the request using the unique verification identifier or one of the one or more verification identifiers;
process the request, based on the verifying.