Characterizing device usage at network operators

A method for providing supplemental content to a user device comprising:

• receiving, at an analytics provider, a request for supplemental content to be displayed to a user by the user device, the request comprising a network identifier identifying the user device on an access network over which the user device receives content, wherein the network identifier of the user device and data identifying a content publisher is received from the content publisher;
• identifying, by the analytics provider, responsive to the network identifier, a network operator that manages the access network over which the user device receives content from the content publisher;
• communicating the data identifying of the content publisher to the identified network operator with the request for supplemental content to an analytics module provided by the analytics provider and executing at a network operator, the network operator managing the access network, wherein the analytics module of the identified network operator is configured by the analytics provider to:
• collect data describing behavior of the user device on the access network managed by the network operator, the data associated with the network identifier of the user device,
• determine at least one learned usage characteristic of the user device based on the data describing the behavior of the user device on the access network,
• select a supplemental content item from a plurality of supplemental content items based on a target usage characteristic associated with the selected supplemental content item and the at least one learned usage characteristic of the user device, and
• provide the selected supplemental content item to the content publisher, wherein the content publisher publishes the selected supplemental content item to the user device.

A method for providing supplemental content comprising:

• collecting, at an analytics module executing at a network operator managing an access network, data describing behavior of a user device on the access network managed by the network operator,
• determining at least one learned usage characteristic associated with the user device based on the data describing the behavior of the user device on the access network by:
• receiving network traffic data generated by interactions of the user device with the access network, wherein the network traffic data describes the behavior of the user device on the access network;
• identifying, using an app identification model trained to identify an app from network traffic data, at least one app running on the user device based on the network traffic data, wherein the app identification model is trained by:
• executing at least one app at the analytics module to generate sample network traffic data for the at least one app on the access network;
• storing the sample network traffic data associated with the at least one executed app;
• and
• training, using machine learning, the app identification model to identify the at least one app based on the stored sample network traffic data;
• and
• determining, using a usage characteristic model trained to determine usage characteristics based on app use, the at least one learned usage characteristic based at least in part on the identified at least one app;
• storing a plurality of supplemental content items, each supplemental content item associated with at least one target usage characteristic;
• receiving a request for supplemental content to be displayed by the user device, the request comprising a current network identifier of the user device, the current network identifier identifying the user device on the access network;
• retrieving, based on the current network identifier of the user device, the learned usage characteristic associated with the user device;
• selecting a supplemental content item from the plurality of supplemental content items based on a target usage characteristic associated with the selected supplemental content item and the retrieved learned usage characteristic associated with the user device;
• and
• providing the selected supplemental content item for display on the user device.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions encoded thereon for providing supplemental content to a user device, the instructions causing one or more processors to perform operations when executed, the instructions comprising instructions to:

• receive, at an analytics provider, a request for supplemental content to be displayed to a user by the user device, the request comprising a network identifier identifying the user device on an access network over which the user device receives content;
• receive, from a plurality of content providers, a plurality of supplemental content items, each supplemental content item associated with a respective target usage characteristic;
• and
• transmit the plurality of supplemental content items and associated target usage characteristics to a plurality of analytics modules, each of the plurality of analytics modules provided by the analytics provider to a respective one of a plurality of network operators,
• wherein each of the plurality of analytics modules is adapted to store the plurality of supplemental content items and select from among the stored supplemental content items based on the target usage characteristics and the at least one learned usage characteristic;
• transmit the request for supplemental content and the network identifier of the user device to an analytics module of the plurality of analytics modules and executing at a network operator of the plurality of network operators, the network operator managing the access network, wherein the analytics module is configured by the analytics provider to:
• collect data describing behavior of the user device on the access network managed by the network operator, the data associated with the network identifier of the user device,
• determine at least one learned usage characteristic of the user device based on the data describing the behavior of the user device on the access network,
• select a supplemental content item from a plurality of supplemental content items based on a target usage characteristic associated with the selected supplemental content item and the at least one learned usage characteristic of the user device, and
• provide the selected supplemental content item for display on the user device.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions encoded thereon for providing supplemental content to a user device, the instructions causing one or more processors to perform operations when executed, the instructions comprising instructions to:

• receive, at an analytics provider, a request for supplemental content to be displayed to a user by the user device, the request comprising a network identifier identifying the user device on an access network over which the user device receives content, wherein the network identifier of the user device and data identifying a content publisher is received from the content publisher;
• identify, by the analytics provider, responsive to the network identifier, a network operator that manages the access network over which the user device receives content from the content publisher;
• communicate the data identifying of the content publisher to the identified network operator with the request for supplemental content to an analytics module provided by the analytics provider and executing at a network operator, the network operator managing the access network, wherein the analytics module of the identified network operator is configured by the analytics provider to:
• collect data describing behavior of the user device on the access network managed by the network operator, the data associated with the network identifier of the user device,
• determine at least one learned usage characteristic of the user device based on the data describing the behavior of the user device on the access network,
• select a supplemental content item from a plurality of supplemental content items based on a target usage characteristic associated with the selected supplemental content item and the at least one learned usage characteristic of the user device, and
• provide the selected supplemental content item to the content publisher, wherein the content publisher publishes the selected supplemental content item to the user device.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions encoded thereon for providing supplemental content, the instructions causing one or more processors to perform operations when executed, the instructions comprising instructions to:

• collect, at an analytics module executing at a network operator managing an access network, data describing behavior of a user device on the access network managed by the network operator,
• determine at least one learned usage characteristic associated with the user device based on the data describing the behavior of the user device on the access network by:
• receiving network traffic data generated by interactions of the user device with the access network, wherein the network traffic data describes the behavior of the user device on the access network;
• identifying, using an app identification model trained to identify an app from network traffic data, at least one app running on the user device based on the network traffic data, wherein the app identification model is trained by:
• executing at least one app at the analytics module to generate sample network traffic data for the at least one app on the access network;
• storing the sample network traffic data associated with the at least one executed app;
• and
• training, using machine learning, the app identification model to identify the at least one app based on the stored sample network traffic data;
• and
• determining, using a usage characteristic model trained to determine usage characteristics based on app use, the at least one learned usage characteristic based at least in part on the identified at least one app;
• store a plurality of supplemental content items, each supplemental content item associated with at least one target usage characteristic;
• receive a request for supplemental content to be displayed by the user device, the request comprising a current network identifier of the user device, the current network identifier identifying the user device on the access network;
• retrieve, based on the current network identifier of the user device, the learned usage characteristic associated with the user device;
• select a supplemental content item from the plurality of supplemental content items based on a target usage characteristic associated with the selected supplemental content item and the retrieved learned usage characteristic associated with the user device;
• and
• provide the selected supplemental content item for display on the user device.