Data processing system program product and method for communicating information related to user activities on electronic sites

• US 10,257,294 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2015
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Open Text Sa Ulc (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: McCullough, Sean M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US14/868,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20160021203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 709224, 709223, 709225, 709229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

Information related to activity of a user may be provided using a method or a data processing system program product to perform the method. In one embodiment, the method includes sending a first view request to a first electronic site, receiving a first view from the first electronic site, and first information related to the first view request to a second entity that is different from the first entity. In another embodiment, a data processing system program product may perform a method of sending information related to a view request from the user for an electronic site. The information is to be sent to an entity that is different from an entity that substantially controls or owns the electronic site and different from an Internet service provider of the user, if the user is to use the Internet service provider in accessing the electronic site.

Claims

1. A method of communicating information related to user activities on electronic sites, the method comprising:

loading, by an electronic communication device, a data processing system program product into a non-transitory computer memory of the electronic communication device;

executing, by electronic communication device, the data processing system program product on the electronic communication device;

while the data processing system program product is executing on the electronic communication device;

sending, by the electronic communication device, a plurality of view requests from the electronic communication device over a network to a plurality of electronic sites via server machines, the server machines providing access to the plurality of electronic sites, the plurality of electronic sites substantially controlled or owned by a first plurality of entities;

receiving, by the electronic communication device that embodies the data processing system program product, a plurality of views of the plurality of electronic sites over the network via the server machines, wherein each view of the plurality of views substantially corresponds to a respective view request of the plurality of view requests; and

sending, by the electronic communication device that embodies the data processing system program product, over the network via the server machines, user activity information related to the plurality of view requests to a user information system server which is different from the plurality of electronic sites and which contains a database of the user activity information, the user information system server bi-directionally coupled to the server machines that provide access to the plurality of electronic sites, the user information system server substantially controlled or owned by an entity that is different from the first plurality of entities, wherein the information related to the plurality of view requests is sent;

every time a view request of the plurality of view requests is made;

after a predetermined volume of data has accumulated on the electronic communication device;

or

on a periodic basis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the server machines are substantially controlled or owned by a second plurality of entities and wherein the entity that substantially controls or owns the user information system server is different from the second plurality of entities.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data processing system program product includes instructions to always send the information related to the plurality of view requests to the user information system server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data processing system program product includes instructions to allow a user associated with the electronic communication device to enable or disable the sending of the information related to the plurality of view requests to the user information system server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data processing system program product comprises instructions for a browser program plug-in, a browser program component, a software application, or an operating system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information related to the plurality of view requests includes, for each view request of the plurality of view requests, site information related to the view request, an identifier related to a user associated with the electronic communication device, and temporal information related to the view request.

7. A data processing system program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions translatable by at least one processor of an electronic communication device to perform:

loading the data processing system program product into a non-transitory computer memory of the electronic communication device;

executing the data processing system program product on the electronic communication device;

while the data processing system program product is executing on the electronic communication device;

sending a plurality of view requests from the electronic communication device over a network to a plurality of electronic sites via server machines, the server machines providing access to the plurality of electronic sites, the plurality of electronic sites substantially controlled or owned by a first plurality of entities;

receiving a plurality of views of the plurality of electronic sites over the network via the server machines, wherein each view of the plurality of views substantially corresponds to a respective view request of the plurality of view requests; and

sending, over the network via the server machines, user activity information related to the plurality of view requests to a user information system server which is different from the plurality of electronic sites and which contains a database of the user activity information, the user information system server bi-directionally coupled to the server machines that provide access to the plurality of electronic sites, the user information system server substantially controlled or owned by an entity that is different from the first plurality of entities, wherein the information related to the plurality of view requests is sent;

every time a view request of the plurality of view requests is made;

after a predetermined volume of data has accumulated on the electronic communication device;

or

on a periodic basis.

8. The data processing system program product of claim 7, wherein the server machines are substantially controlled or owned by a second plurality of entities and wherein the entity that substantially controls or owns the user information system server is different from the second plurality of entities.

9. The data processing system program product of claim 7, wherein the instructions are configured for always sending the information related to the plurality of view requests to the user information system server.

10. The data processing system program product of claim 7, wherein the instructions are configured for allowing a user associated with the electronic communication device to enable or disable the sending of the information related to the plurality of view requests to the user information system server.

11. The data processing system program product of claim 7, wherein the instructions are configured for a browser program plug-in, a browser program component, a software application, or an operating system.

12. An electronic communication device, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one non-transitory computer readable medium; and

stored instructions translatable by the at least one processor to perform;

loading a data processing system program product into a non-transitory computer memory of the electronic communication device;

executing the data processing system program product on the electronic communication device;

while the data processing system program product is executing on the electronic communication device;

sending a plurality of view requests from the electronic communication device over a network to a plurality of electronic sites via server machines, the server machines providing access to the plurality of electronic sites, the plurality of electronic sites substantially controlled or owned by a first plurality of entities;

receiving a plurality of views of the plurality of electronic sites over the network via the server machines, wherein each view of the plurality of views substantially corresponds to a respective view request of the plurality of view requests; and

sending, over the network via the server machines, user activity information related to the plurality of view requests to a user information system server which is different from the plurality of electronic sites and which contains a database of the user activity information, the user information system server bi-directionally coupled to the server machines that provide access to the plurality of electronic sites, the user information system server substantially controlled or owned by an entity that is different from the first plurality of entities, wherein the information related to the plurality of view requests is sent;

every time a view request of the plurality of view requests is made;

after a predetermined volume of data has accumulated on the electronic communication device;

or

on a periodic basis.

13. The electronic communication device of claim 12, wherein the server machines are substantially controlled or owned by a second plurality of entities and wherein the entity that substantially controls or owns the user information system server is different from the second plurality of entities.

14. The electronic communication device of claim 12, wherein the instructions are configured for always sending the information related to the plurality of view requests to the user information system server.

15. The electronic communication device of claim 12, wherein the instructions are configured for allowing a user associated with the electronic communication device to enable or disable the sending of the information related to the plurality of view requests to the user information system server.

16. The electronic communication device of claim 12, wherein the instructions are configured for a browser program plug-in, a browser program component, a software application, or an operating system.

17. The electronic communication device of claim 12, wherein the information related to the plurality of view requests includes, for each view request of the plurality of view requests, site information related to the view request, an identifier related to a user associated with the electronic communication device, and temporal information related to the view request.