# US 11,113,776 B1 · Systems and methods for protecting user identity within online content providing environments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,113,776 B1 - Document ID: US11113776B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/541,961 - Filed: 2019-08-15 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-08 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google LLC - Inventors: Gang Wang; Matthew Young-Lai; Zoltan Szamonek - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11113776B1 ## CPC - G06Q 50/265: {Personal security, identity or safety} - G06F 21/6254: {by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification} - G06F 21/6263: {during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies} - G06Q 30/0275: {Auctions} - G06F 2221/2111: Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A computer-implemented method for protecting user identity within online content providing environments uses a security content management system (CMS) including at least one processor and a memory. The method includes identifying a request for an online content item associated with an online device. The online device is associated with actual device data. The method also includes determining a first characteristic value associated with the actual device data of the online device. The method further includes generating, by the processor, substitute device data. The substitute device data represents at least the first characteristic value. The method also includes providing the substitute device data to an online content provider. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for protecting user identity within online content providing environments, said method comprising: identifying a request for an online content item associated with an online device, wherein the request includes actual device data for the online device, wherein the actual device data includes actual values representing actual characteristics of the online device for a plurality of characteristic types; identifying a particular characteristic type of the plurality of characteristic types utilized by a particular online content provider; analyzing the actual device data to identify the actual value representing the actual characteristic of the online device for the particular characteristic type utilized by the particular online content provider; generating a substitute value that also represents the actual characteristic of the online device for the particular characteristic type utilized by the particular online content provider, wherein the substitute value is different than the actual value contained in the actual device data from the request; and providing the substitute value to the particular online content provider in place of the actual value to convey, without revealing the actual value, the actual characteristic of the online device for the particular characteristic type utilized by the particular online content provider. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the actual device data includes at least an actual internet protocol (IP) address associated with the online device, wherein generating the substitute value includes obtaining a substitute IP address. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the substitute IP address is one of a complete IP version 4 (IPv4) address or a complete IP version 6 (IPv6) address. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the online content item is an online advertisement, wherein the particular online content provider is a real-time bidder in an auction associated with the request, wherein providing the substitute value includes providing the substitute value during the auction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the actual device data to identify the actual value representing the actual characteristic of the online device for the particular characteristic type includes determining a portion of the actual device data that identifies one of (i) a geo-location of the online device, (ii) an internet service provider associated with the online device, or (iii) a connection characteristic. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing, in a memory, a mapping of the actual device data to substitute device data; identifying a later request for another online content item involving the online device; identifying, from the memory, the substitute device data based at least in part on the actual device data; and providing the substitute device data to a later online content provider in response to the later request. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: determining that a pre-determined expiration time has elapsed since storing the mapping; and deleting the mapping of the actual device data to the substitute device data. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating the substitute value further includes: identifying a pool of substitute values that all represent the actual characteristic for the particular characteristic type; and selecting a random substitute value from the pool of substitute values, thereby generating the substitute value. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising: identifying a request for an online content item associated with an online device, wherein the request includes actual device data for the online device, wherein the actual device data includes actual values representing actual characteristics of the online device for a plurality of characteristic types; identifying a particular characteristic type of the plurality of characteristic types utilized by a particular online content provider; analyzing the actual device data to identify the actual value representing the actual characteristic of the online device for the particular characteristic type utilized by the particular online content provider; generating a substitute value that also represents the actual characteristic of the online device for the particular characteristic type utilized by the particular online content provider, wherein the substitute value is different than the actual value contained in the actual device data from the request; and providing the substitute value to the particular online content provider in place of the actual value to convey, without revealing the actual value, the actual characteristic of the online device for the particular characteristic type utilized by the particular online content provider. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the actual device data includes at least an actual internet protocol (IP) address associated with the online device, wherein generating the substitute value includes obtaining a substitute IP address. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the substitute IP address is one of a complete IP version 4 (IPv4) address or a complete IP version 6 (IPv6) address. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the online content item is an online advertisement, wherein the particular online content provider is a real-time bidder in an auction associated with the request, wherein providing the substitute value includes providing the substitute value during the auction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein analyzing the actual device data to identify the actual value representing the actual characteristic of the online device for the particular characteristic type includes determining a portion of the actual device data that identifies one of (i) a geo-location of the online device, (ii) an internet service provider associated with the online device, or (iii) a connection characteristic. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise: storing, in a memory, a mapping of the actual device data to substitute device data; identifying a later request for another online content item involving the online device; identifying, from the memory, the substitute device data based at least in part on the actual device data; and providing the substitute device data to a later online content provider in response to the later request. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise: determining that a pre-determined expiration time has elapsed since storing the mapping; and deleting the mapping of the actual device data to the substitute device data. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein generating the substitute value further includes: identifying a pool of substitute values that all represent the actual characteristic for the particular characteristic type; and selecting a random substitute value from the pool of substitute values, thereby generating the substitute value. ### Claim 17 A system, comprising: a processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising: identifying a request for an online content item associated with an online device, wherein the request includes actual device data for the online device, wherein the actual device data includes actual values representing actual characteristics of the online device for a plurality of characteristic types; identifying a particular characteristic type of the plurality of characteristic types utilized by a particular online content provider; analyzing the actual device data to identify the actual value representing the actual characteristic of the online device for the particular characteristic type utilized by the particular online content provider; generating a substitute value that also represents the actual characteristic of the online device for the particular characteristic type utilized by the particular online content provider, wherein the substitute value is different than the actual value contained in the actual device data from the request; and providing the substitute value to the particular online content provider in place of the actual value to convey, without revealing the actual value, the actual characteristic of the online device for the particular characteristic type utilized by the particular online content provider. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the actual device data includes at least an actual internet protocol (IP) address associated with the online device, wherein generating the substitute value includes obtaining a substitute IP address. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the actual device data to identify the actual value representing the actual characteristic of the online device for the particular characteristic type utilized by the particular online content provider comprises identifying an IP address of the online device that represents a geographic region of the online device, wherein the substitute value is a substitute IP address that represents the same geographic region.