Inferring user identity across multiple applications and user devices

Abstract

The present teaching relates to creating and updating a user profile related to multiple devices, and synchronizing applications' sessions for the user on different devices. Upon execution of a first application on a first device, a first device ID associated with the first device and information about the first application are received. A user profile is created based on the first device ID and the information about the first application. Upon execution of a second application on a second device related to the first device, a second device ID associated with the second device and information about the second application are received. The user profile is updated based on the second device ID and the information about the second application. Further, the information about the first application is applied to the execution of the second application on the second device, or vice-versa.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method, implemented on a machine having one or more processors, a storage unit, and a communication platform capable of making a connection to a network to create and update a user profile related to a plurality of devices, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a first device identifiable by a first device identifier, via the communication platform, a query on whether a user profile of a user has been previously created, wherein the user is logged into the first device with a first application currently executing on the first device;   receiving, from the first device, first information related to the execution of the first application on the first device;   processing, by a query processing unit, the query to determine whether the user profile has been created previously in connection with (i) a second device of the user, the second device being identifiable by a second device identifier, and (ii) second information related to previous execution of a second application on the second device, wherein the user profile includes preferences of the user observed on the second device;   responsive to a determination that the user profile has been previously created, updating the user profile by incorporating the first device identifier and the first information to generate an updated user profile with updated preferences of the user; and   applying, by an app update unit, the updated preferences to the execution of the first application on the first device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the updated preferences customize application content, a user interface, and advertisements to be presented via the first application. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 creating, by a device ID unit, or receiving from the first device, the first device identifier; and   creating, by the device ID unit, or receiving from the second device, the second device identifier.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 processing, by a cloud ID processing unit, a cloud-based identifier based on the first device identifier to generate a processed cloud-based identifier,   wherein, responsive to the user logging into to a cloud network via the first device, the first device is configured to receive and process the processed cloud-based identifier via the cloud network,   wherein the query is generated based on the processed cloud-based identifier, and   wherein the processing of the query comprises processing the query to determine whether the user profile including the second device identifier exists.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising recording, by a profile creation and update unit, the cloud-based identifier in the user profile,
 wherein the processing of the query determines whether the user profile including the cloud-based identifier exists.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information related to the first application and the second application comprises personalized application configuration information, the method further comprising:
 configuring, by the app update unit, the first application and presenting content via the first application, based on the personalized application configuration information of the second application, and   configuring, by the app update unit, the second application and presenting content via the second application, based on the personalized application configuration information of the first application.   
     
     
         7 . A system to update a user profile related to a plurality of devices, the system comprising:
 a storage unit;   one or more processors configured to execute computer program instructions from a machine-readable medium such that the one or more processors are caused to:
 receive, from a first device identifiable by a first device identifier, via the communication platform, a query on whether a user profile of a user has been previously created, wherein the user is logged into the first device with a first application currently executing on the first device; 
 receive, from the first device, first information related to the execution of the first application on the first device; 
 process the query to determine whether the user profile has been created previously in connection with (i) a second device of the user, the second device being identifiable by a second device identifier, and (ii) second information related to previous execution of a second application on the second device, wherein the user profile includes preferences of the user observed on the second device; 
 responsive to a determination that the user profile has been previously created, update the user profile by incorporating the first device identifier and the first information to generate an updated user profile with updated preferences of the user; and 
 apply the updated preferences to the execution of the first application on the first device. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second applications belong to a same set of related applications. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further caused to:
 create the first device identifier or the second device identifier; and   receive the first device identifier from the first device or the second device identifier from the second device.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further caused to:
 process a cloud-based identifier based on the first device identifier to generate a processed cloud-based identifier,   wherein, responsive to the user logging into to a cloud network via the first device, the first device is configured to receive and process the processed cloud-based identifier via the cloud network,   wherein the query is generated based on the processed cloud-based identifier, and   wherein the processing of the query determines whether the user profile including the second device identifier exists.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further caused to record the cloud-based identifier in the user profile, and
 process the query to determine whether the user profile including the cloud-based identifier exists.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the information related to the first application and the second application comprises personalized application configuration information, wherein the one or more processors are further caused to:
 configure the first application and present content via the first application, based on the personalized application configuration information of the second application, and   configure the second application and present content via the second application, based on the personalized application configuration information of the first application.   
     
     
         13 . A machine-readable, tangible, and non-transitory medium having information recorded thereon to create and update a user profile related to a plurality of devices, where the information, when read by the machine, causes the machine to perform at least the following:
 receiving, from a first device identifiable by a first device identifier, via the communication platform, a query on whether a user profile of a user has been previously created, wherein the user is logged into the first device with a first application currently executing on the first device;   receiving, from the first device, first information related to the execution of the first application on the first device;   processing the query to determine whether the user profile has been created previously in connection with (i) a second device of the user, the second device being identifiable by a second device identifier, and (ii) second information related to previous execution of a second application on the second device, wherein the user profile includes preferences of the user observed on the second device;   responsive to a determination that the user profile has been previously created, updating the user profile by incorporating the first device identifier and the first information to generate an updated user profile with updated preferences of the user; and   applying the updated preferences to the execution of the first application on the first device.   
     
     
         14 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein the machine is further caused to process a cloud-based identifier based on the first device identifier to generate a processed cloud-based identifier,
 wherein, responsive to the user logging into a cloud network via the first device, the first device is configured to receive and process the processed cloud-based identifier via the cloud network,   wherein the query is generated based on the processed cloud-based identifier, and   wherein the machine is further caused to record the cloud-based identifier in the user profile, and   wherein the processing of the query determines whether the user profile including the second device identifier and the cloud-based identifier exists.   
     
     
         15 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein the information related to the first application and the second application comprises personalized application configuration information, wherein the machine is further caused to perform the following:
 configuring the first application and presenting content via the first application, based on the personalized application configuration information of the second application, and   configuring the second application and presenting content via the second application, based on the personalized application configuration information of the first application.