Patent ID: 11874891
Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
Field: Digital communication (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G  H

Claim 0:
1. A method of associating computing devices with each other based on computer network activity to select content items as part of an online content item placement campaign, comprising:
identifying, by a data processing system, a first linking factor based on a connection between a first computing device and the computer network via a first IP address during a first time period, and based on a connection between a second computing device and the computer network via the first IP address during the first time period;
determining, by the data processing system, a number of computing devices other than the first computing device that connect with the computer network via the first IP address during the first time period;
generating, by the data processing system, a positive match probability based on the first linking factor and based on the number of computing devices;
monitoring, by the data processing system, for a second linking factor based on input activity at the first computing device during a second time period, and based on input activity at the second computing device during the second time period;
monitoring, by the data processing system, for a third linking factor based on activity at the first computing device via the first IP address during a third time period, and based on activity at the second computing device via a second IP address during the third time period;
determining, by the data processing system, a negative match probability based on the second linking factor and based on the third linking factor;
linking, by the data processing system, the first computing device with the second computing device based on the positive match probability and the negative match probability; and
creating, by the data processing system, a data structure to indicate a link between the first computing device and the second computing device.