Web user profiling system and method

• US 20030074400A1
• Filed: 04/01/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pattern Discovery Software Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Pattern Discovery Software Systems Limited
• Inventors: Wang, Yang, Brooks, David
• Application Number:
  US10/113,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20030074400A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A web user profiling system and method. The method includes a profile editor for user-controlled profile creation and management, a web classification tree including a keyword language, the tree providing a hierarchal structure for classifying a user'"'"'s web behavior, and a web page analysis engine for classifying web pages viewed leveraging the tree. The system further includes a page stream analysis engine for filtering the classified web pages into classification groupings to provide dynamic user profile information, and a profile gateway having a security manager, the gateway providing permissioned remote access to a user'"'"'s profile.

Claims

1. A web user profiling system comprising:

a profile editor for user-controlled profile creation and management;

a web classification tree including a keyword language, the tree providing a hierarchal structure for classifying a user'"'"'s web behavior;

a web page analysis engine for classifying web pages viewed leveraging the tree;

a page stream analysis engine for filtering the classified web pages into classification groupings to provide dynamic user profile information; and

a profile gateway having a security manager, the gateway providing permissioned remote access to a user'"'"'s profile.

2. The system according to claim 1, compiled as a browser plug-in for integration into, and for leveraging the functionality of a browser.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the profile is an XML or other suitably flexible document.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the tree is virtual by including locator markers.

5. The system according to claim 1, further including one or more complex metrics for monitoring additional patterns formed within the browser.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein groupings can be weighted according to established criteria.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the keyword language further includes complex rules for providing increased accuracy.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the engine further comprises a temporal analysis filter comprising time-weighted criteria to reflect current relevancy.

9. The system according to claim 1, further including one or more user opt in/out controls for opting in or out of specific tree portions of their profile.

10. The system according to claim 1, further including one or more server-side components incorporating the systems technology platform for client-side component interaction.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more server-side components is a web-server plug-in.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more server-side components is a profile gateway reader.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more server-side components is a profile-matching engine.

14. A web user profiling method comprising the steps of:

(i) creating and managing a user-controlled profile using a profile editor;

(ii) classifying a user'"'"'s web behavior using a hierarchal structured classification tree including a keyword language;

(iii) classifying web pages using a web page analysis engine that leverages the tree;

(iv) filtering the classified web pages into classification groupings using a page stream analysis engine to provide dynamic profile information; and

(v) providing permissioned remote access to a user'"'"'s profile using a profile gateway having a security manager.

15. The method according to claim 14, compiled as a browser plug-in for integration into, and for leveraging the functionality of a browser.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the profile is an XML or other suitably flexible document.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the tree is virtual by including locator markers.

18. The method according to claim 14, further including one or more complex metrics for monitoring additional patterns formed within the browser.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein groupings can be weighted according to established criteria.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the keyword language further includes complex rules for providing increased accuracy.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein the engine further comprises a temporal analysis filter comprising time-weighted criteria to reflect current relevancy.

22. The method according to claim 14, further including one or more user opt in/out controls for opting in or out of specific tree portions of their profile.

23. The method according to claim 14, further including one or more server-side components incorporating the systems technology platform for client-side component interaction.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the one or more server-side components is a web-server plug-in.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the server-side components is a profile gateway reader.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the one or more server-side components is a profile-matching engine.

27. A web user profiling system comprising:

(i) means for creating and managing a user-controlled profile using a profile editor;

(ii) means for classifying a user'"'"'s web behavior using a hierarchal structured classification tree including a keyword language;

(iii) means for classifying web pages using a web page analysis engine that leverages the tree;

(iv) means for filtering the classified pages into classification groupings using a page stream analysis engine to provide dynamic profile information; and

(v) means for providing permissioned remote access to a user'"'"'s profile using a profile gateway having a security manager.

28. A storage medium readable by a computer encoding a computer process to provide a web user profiling method, the computer process comprising:

(i) a processing portion for creating and managing a user-controlled profile using a profile editor;

(ii) a processing portion for classifying a user'"'"'s web behavior using a hierarchal structured classification tree including a keyword language;

(iii) a processing portion for classifying web pages using a web page analysis engine that leverages the tree;

(iv) a processing portion for filtering the classified web pages into classification groupings using a page stream analysis engine to provide dynamic profile information; and

(v) a processing portion for providing permissioned remote access to a user'"'"'s profile using a profile gateway having a security manager.