SYSTEMS, METHODS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR ASSOCIATING DYNAMICALLY GENERATED WEB PAGE CONTENT WITH WEB SITE VISITORS

• US 20020002569A1
• Filed: 12/09/1998
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: NGUYEN, BINH, SINGHAL, SANDEEP
• Granted Patent: US 7,131,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/515
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user who requests a Web page from a Web server. Upon receiving a user request for a Web page via a Web client in communication with the Web server, a Web server records the user request within a Web server log. The requested Web page is then dynamically generated using a template for the requested Web page and one or more content objects having respective unique identifiers associated therewith. The stored record of the user request is then appended with each identifier for respective content objects included within the displayed Web page.

Claims

1. A method of associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user who requests a Web page from a Web server, wherein the user makes the Web page request via a Web client in communication with the Web server, the method comprising the following steps performed by the Web server:

storing a record of the user request within a Web server log;

generating the requested Web page, wherein the generated Web page includes a content object having a unique identifier associated therewith;

serving the generated Web page to the Web client; and

appending the stored record of the user request with the unique identifier associated with the content object included within the generated Web page.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the record of the request includes information that identifies the user.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of generating the requested Web page comprises the steps of:

retrieving a layout template for the requested Web page, wherein the layout template defines how content objects are displayed within the requested Web page;

retrieving the content object; and

combining the content object and the layout template to produce the requested Web page.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the content object is selected from the group consisting of text files, audio files, video files, image files, and hyperlinks.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the unique identifier associated with the content object is generated by a hashing function.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of analyzing a plurality of stored user request records to determine Web content preferences of a user.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of appending the stored record of the user request with a time stamp for a subsequent user request for a Web page.

8. A method according to claim 7 further comprising the step of determining a length of time the user views the generated Web page using time stamps within the stored record.

9. A method of associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user who requests a Web page from a Web server, wherein the user makes the Web page request via a Web client in communication with the Web server, the method comprising the following steps performed by the Web server:

storing a record of the user request within a Web server log;

generating the requested Web page, wherein the generated Web page includes first and second content objects having respective unique first and second identifiers associated therewith, comprising the steps of;

retrieving a layout template for the requested Web page, wherein the layout template defines how content objects are displayed within the requested Web page;

retrieving the first and second content objects; and

combining the first and second content objects and the layout template to produce the requested Web page;

serving the generated Web page to the Web client; and

appending the stored record of the user request with the first and second identifiers associated with the first and second content objects included within the generated Web page.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the record of the request includes information that identifies the user.

11. A method according to claim 9 wherein the first and second content objects are selected from the group consisting of text files, audio files, video files, image files, and hyperlinks.

12. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of analyzing a plurality of stored user request records to determine Web content preferences of a user.

13. A method of collecting information about the preferences of Web site visitors comprising the step of:

associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user who requests a Web page from a Web server via a Web client in communication with the Web server.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the step of associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user comprises the following steps performed by the Web server:

storing a record of the user request within a Web server log;

generating the requested Web page, wherein the generated Web page includes a content object having a unique identifier associated therewith;

serving the generated Web page to the Web client; and

appending the stored record of the user request with the unique identifier associated with the content object included within the generated Web page.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein the record of the request includes information that identifies the user.

16. A method according to claim 13 wherein the step of generating the requested Web page comprises the steps of:

retrieving a layout template for the requested Web page, wherein the layout template defines how content objects are displayed within the requested Web page;

retrieving the content object; and

combining the content object and the layout template to produce the requested Web page.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the content object is selected from the group consisting of text files, audio files, video files, image files, and hyperlinks.

18. A method according to claim 13 wherein the unique identifier associated with the content object is generated by a hashing function.

19. A method according to claim 13 further comprising the step of analyzing a plurality of stored user request records to determine Web content preferences of a user.

20. A system for associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user who requests a Web page from a Web server, wherein the user makes the Web page request via a Web client in communication with the Web server, comprising:

means for storing a record of the user request within a Web server log;

means for generating the requested Web page, wherein the generated Web page includes a content object having a unique identifier associated therewith;

means for serving the generated Web page to the Web client; and

means for appending the stored record of the user request with the unique identifier associated with the content object included within the generated Web page.

21. A system according to claim 20 wherein the record of the request includes information that identifies the user.

22. A system according to claim 20 wherein the means for generating the requested Web page comprises:

means for retrieving a layout template for the requested Web page, wherein the layout template defines how content objects are displayed within the requested Web page;

means for retrieving the content object; and

means for combining the content object and the layout template to produce the requested Web page.

23. A system according to claim 22 wherein the content object is selected from the group consisting of text files, audio files, video files, image files, and hyperlinks.

24. A system according to claim 20 wherein the unique identifier associated with the content object is generated by a hashing function.

25. A system according to claim 20 further comprising means for analyzing a plurality of stored user request records to determine Web content preferences of a user.

26. A system according to claim 20 further comprising means for appending the stored record of the user request with a time stamp for a subsequent user request for a Web page.

27. A system according to claim 26 further comprising means for determining a length of time the user views the generated Web page using time stamps within the stored record.

28. A system for associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user who requests a Web page from a Web server, wherein the user makes the Web page request via a Web client in communication with the Web server, comprising:

means for storing a record of the user request within a Web server log;

means for generating the requested Web page, wherein the generated Web page includes first and second content objects having respective unique first and second identifiers associated therewith, comprising;

means for retrieving a layout template for the requested Web page, wherein the layout template defines how content objects are displayed within the requested Web page;

means for retrieving the first and second content objects; and

means for combining the first and second content objects and the layout template to produce the requested Web page;

means for serving the generated Web page to the Web client; and

means for appending the stored record of the user request with the first and second identifiers associated with the first and second content objects included within the generated Web page.

29. A system according to claim 28 wherein the record of the request includes information that identifies the user.

30. A system according to claim 28 wherein the first and second content objects are selected from the group consisting of text files, audio files, video files, image files, and hyperlinks.

31. A system according to claim 28 further comprising means for analyzing a plurality of stored user request records to determine Web content preferences of a user.

32. A system for collecting information about the preferences of Web site visitors comprising:

means for associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user who requests a Web page from a Web server via a Web client in communication with the Web server.

33. A system according to claim 32, wherein the means for associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user comprises:

means for storing a record of the user request within a Web server log;

means for generating the requested Web page, wherein the generated Web page includes a content object having a unique identifier associated therewith;

means for serving the generated Web page to the Web client; and

means for appending the stored record of the user request with the unique identifier associated with the content object included within the generated Web page.

34. A system according to claim 32 wherein the record of the request includes information that identifies the user.

35. A system according to claim 32 wherein the means for generating the requested Web page comprises:

means for retrieving a layout template for the requested Web page, wherein the layout template defines how content objects are displayed within the requested Web page;

means for retrieving the content object; and

means for combining the content object and the layout template to produce the requested Web page.

36. A system according to claim 35 wherein the content object is selected from the group consisting of text files, audio files, video files, image files, and hyperlinks.

37. A system according to claim 32 wherein the unique identifier associated with the content object is generated by a hashing function.

38. A system according to claim 32 further comprising means for analyzing a plurality of stored user request records to determine Web content preferences of a user.

39. A computer program product for associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user who requests a Web page from a Web server, wherein the user makes the Web page request via a Web client in communication with the Web server, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code means comprising:

computer readable program code means for storing a record of the user request within a Web server log;

computer readable program code means for generating the requested Web page, wherein the generated Web page includes a content object having a unique identifier associated therewith;

computer readable program code means for serving the generated Web page to the Web client; and

computer readable program code means for appending the stored record of the user request with the unique identifier associated with the content object included within the generated Web page.

40. A computer program product according to claim 39 wherein the record of the request includes information that identifies the user.

41. A computer program product according to claim 39 wherein the computer readable program code means for generating the requested Web page comprises:

computer readable program code means for retrieving a layout template for the requested Web page, wherein the layout template defines how content objects are displayed within the requested Web page;

computer readable program code means for retrieving the content object; and

computer readable program code means for combining the content object and the layout template to produce the requested Web page.

42. A computer program product according to claim 41 wherein the content object is selected from the group consisting of text files, audio files, video files, image files, and hyperlinks.

43. A computer program product according to claim 39 wherein the unique identifier associated with the content object is generated by a hashing function.

44. A computer program product according to claim 39 further comprising computer readable program code means for analyzing a plurality of stored user request records to determine Web content preferences of a user.

45. A computer program product according to claim 39 further comprising computer readable program code means for appending the stored record of the user request with a time stamp for a subsequent user request for a Web page.

46. A computer program product according to claim 45 further comprising computer readable program code means for determining a length of time the user views the generated Web page using time stamps within the stored record.

47. A computer program product for associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user who requests a Web page from a Web server, wherein the user makes the Web page request via a Web client in communication with the Web server, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code means comprising:

computer readable program code means for storing a record of the user request within a Web server log;

computer readable program code means for generating the requested Web page, wherein the generated Web page includes first and second content objects having respective unique first and second identifiers associated therewith, comprising;

computer readable program code means for retrieving a layout template for the requested Web page, wherein the layout template defines how content objects are displayed within the requested Web page;

computer readable program code means for retrieving the first and second content objects; and

computer readable program code means for combining the first and second content objects and the layout template to produce the requested Web page;

computer readable program code means for serving the generated Web page to the Web client; and

computer readable program code means for appending the stored record of the user request with the first and second identifiers associated with the first and second content objects included within the generated Web page.

48. A computer program product according to claim 47 wherein the record of the request includes information that identifies the user.

49. A computer program product according to claim 47 wherein the first and second content objects are selected from the group consisting of text files, audio files, video files, image files, and hyperlinks.

50. A computer program product according to claim 47 further comprising computer readable program code means for analyzing a plurality of stored user request records to determine Web content preferences of a user.

51. A computer program product for collecting information about the preferences of Web site visitors, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code means comprising:

computer readable program code means for associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user who requests a Web page from a Web server via a Web client in communication with the Web server.

52. A computer program product according to claim 51, wherein the computer readable program code means for associating dynamically generated Web page content with a user comprises:

computer readable program code means for storing a record of the user request within a Web server log;

computer readable program code means for generating the requested Web page, wherein the generated Web page includes a content object having a unique identifier associated therewith;

computer readable program code means for serving the generated Web page to the Web client; and

computer readable program code means for appending the stored record of the user request with the unique identifier associated with the content object included within the generated Web page.

53. A computer program product according to claim 51 wherein the record of the request includes information that identifies the user.

54. A computer program product according to claim 51 wherein the computer readable program code means for generating the requested Web page comprises:

computer readable program code means for retrieving a layout template for the requested Web page, wherein the layout template defines how content objects are displayed within the requested Web page;

computer readable program code means for retrieving the content object; and

computer readable program code means for combining the content object and the layout template to produce the requested Web page.

55. A computer program product according to claim 54 wherein the content object is selected from the group consisting of text files, audio files, video files, image files, and hyperlinks.

56. A computer program product according to claim 51 wherein the unique identifier associated with the content object is generated by a hashing function.

57. A computer program product according to claim 51 further comprising computer readable program code means for analyzing a plurality of stored user request records to determine Web content preferences of a user.