Tracking hits for network files using transmitted counter instructions

• US 20030177226A1
• Filed: 03/14/2002
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gschwind, Thomas, Eshghi, Kave, Wurster, Klaus, Garg, Pankaj K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,222,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/302 where the computing system component is a software system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3093 Configuration details thereof, e.g. installation, enabling, spatial arrangement of the probes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A method and system for tracking hits of a requested network file includes embedding an instruction within the file that directs the requesting device to transmit an indicator to a processor for counting subsequent to the requesting device receiving the requested file. The request for the network file is made by a requesting device (e.g., client of an end-user) and may be made over the Internet. The instruction is executed by a Web browser at the requesting device. The instruction is embedded within the Internet file, so that if the file is cached by a proxy server, the instruction is also cached. Thus, the instruction will reach the end-user regardless of whether the file is downloaded from the proxy server or from an originating server. When the file reaches the end-user, the instruction triggers the transmission of the indicator that is send to the processor for counting.

Claims

1. A method of tracking hits for a network file comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for said network file from a requesting device;

sending said network file to said requesting device in response to said request, said network file including an instruction to transmit an indicator subsequent to said requesting device receiving said network file;

transmitting said indicator from said requesting device in response to receiving said network file; and

processing said indicator to track said hits for said network file.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving said request includes receiving said request over the global communications network referred to as the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of including a network address of said requested network file within said indicator, so that said indicator can be identified as corresponding to said requested network file.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of including a network address of a remote processor within said instruction for navigating said indicator from said requesting device over a network to said remote processor, so that said indicator can be processed.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of executing said instruction to transmit said indicator by an end-user browser at said requesting device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of generating said request for said network file at said requesting device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of embedding said instruction within said network file, such that said instruction is transparent to an end-user at said requesting device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein processing said indicator includes counting said indicator for updating a tally of said hits for said network file.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving said request for said network file includes receiving said request at a proxy, said proxy having cache memory to service said request when said cache memory includes a cached copy of said requested network file, said cached copy having said instruction for transmitting said indicator from said requesting device subsequent to said requesting device receiving said cached copy.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing said instruction as programming that is compatible with JavaScript.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing said network file to include at least one of text information, image information, audio information and video information.

12. A method of counting a number of accesses for cachable documents comprising the steps of:

embedding executable code in each of a plurality of said cachable documents, said executable code being associated with triggering transmissions of count-inducing messages from clients;

sending said cachable documents to said clients in response to requests made by said clients;

receiving said count-inducing messages transmitted from said clients as responses to said executable code; and

counting said accesses on a basis of receiving said count-inducing messages.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving said count-inducing messages includes receiving one of said count-inducing messages for each said cachable document received by said clients.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising a step of storing said cachable documents in Web proxies, said Web proxies being in communication with said clients and at least one originating server via the Internet, said Web proxies being configured to store said cachable documents that are downloaded from said originating server.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising a step of implementing said executable code by browser software of said clients, such that said count-inducing messages are transmitted from said clients.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising a step of providing a Universal Resource Locator (URL) of a processor in said executable code to enable transmitting of said count-inducing messages from said browser software to said processor, said processor being operationally associated with said originating server.

17. A system for tracking hits over the Internet comprising:

a store of plurality of network files, each of said network files having a command to initiate a transmission of an identifier from any of a plurality of clients upon a receipt of one of said network files by said clients;

programming accessible via of said client, said programming being configured to request said network files; and

a file access counter responsive to receiving said identifiers from clients as a basis for counting transfers of said network files to said clients.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said command includes programmable code embedded within each said network file, said programmable code being configured to execute said transmissions of said identifiers upon said receipt of said network files by said client.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said programmable code includes an Internet address of said file access counter, said network files including World Wide Web pages.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein said network files include cached copies of Internet files, said store of network files being a proxy Web server.