Custom event and attribute generation for use in website traffic data collection

• US 20040122943A1
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Inventors: Curran, Brian, Error, Brett, Error, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 10,205,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and system for the efficient customization of website tracking data includes a data collector with a user interface for assigning custom events and attributes to events occurring on a website. The data collector receives custom tracking data from the website in response to the occurrence of an event to be tracked. Customization of tracking data is achieved through the use of an embedded tracking code and associated data collection file. The embedded tracking code is configured to report tracking data customized for the website. The data collection server is configured via a graphical user interface to receive and store the customized tracking data. A configuration string from the data collector is inserted into the data collection file on the web site. In this manner, the data collection server and website is customized to collect customized tracking data efficiently without assistance from others.

Claims

1. A method for customizing website traffic tracking data comprising the steps of:

inserting embedded tracking code in a web page containing a custom event to be tracked;

modifying the embedding tracking code to track the occurrence of the custom event to be tracked; and

configuring, via a user interface, a data collection server to receive the custom event to be tracked.

2. A method for customizing website traffic tracking data as in claim 1, wherein modifying the embedded tracking code to track the occurrence of a custom event further comprises the steps of:

modifying the embedded tracking code to associate a custom attribute with the custom event.

3. A method for customizing website traffic tracking data as in claim 2, wherein the custom attribute may retain a value for an indefinite period.

4. A method for customizing website traffic tracking data as in claim 3, wherein configuring, via a user interface, a custom attribute associated with an event to be tracked further comprises the step of:

assigning expiration data to the custom attribute.

5. A method for customizing website traffic tracking data as in claim 3, wherein configuring, via a user interface, a custom attribute associated with an event to be tracked further comprises the step of:

assigning version data to the custom attribute.

6. A method for customizing website traffic tracking data as in claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

generating a configuration string associated with the custom attribute; and

,

inserting the configuration string in data collection code on a website containing the event to be tracked.

8. A system for customizing website traffic tracking data of claim 6 wherein a website server containing a web page with a customized event to be tracked, the customized event data inserted into code for the web page further comprises:

a custom attribute associated with the customized event, the custom attribute being inserted into code for the web page.

7. A system for customizing website traffic tracking data comprising:

a data collection server for collecting customized event data;

a user interface coupled to the data collection server for configuring the data collector server to receive the customized event data; and

a website server, coupled to the data collection engine, containing a web page including a customized event to be tracked, the customized event data inserted into code for the web page.

9. A system for customizing website traffic tracking data as in claim 7, wherein the user interface comprises:

an attribute selector for assigning a custom attribute to the customized event; and

an expiration data selector for assigning expiration data to the custom attribute, coupled to the attribute selector.

10. A system for customizing website traffic tracking data as in claim 7 wherein the user interface comprises:

an attribute selector for assigning a custom attribute to the customized event; and

a versioner for assigning version data to the custom attribute, coupled to the attribute selector.

11. A system for customizing website traffic tracking data as in claim 7, further comprising:

a configuration string tool for creating a configuration string associated with the custom attribute, coupled to the user interface.

12. A method for customizing website traffic tracking data comprising the steps of:

displaying a user interface for configuring a data collector to receive customized event data;

receiving tracking data from a website including the customized event data;

categorizing tracking data received from the website according to the customized event data configured through the user interface; and

storing the customized event data.

13. A method for customizing website traffic tracking data comprising the steps of:

displaying a user interface for configuring a data collector to receive customized event and attribute data;

receiving tracking data from a website including the customized event and attribute data;

categorizing tracking data received from the website according to the customized event and attribute data configured through the user interface; and

storing the customized event and attribute data.

14. The method for customizing website traffic tracking data of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

presenting the tracking data via a graphical user interface received by the website according to the customized event and attribute data.

15. The method for customizing website traffic tracking data of claim 14 wherein the step of presenting the tracking data via a graphical user interface received by the website according to the customized event and attribute data further comprises the step of:

presenting tracking data including customized event and attribute data categorized by a particular event or attribute.

16. The method for customizing website traffic tracking data of claim 15 wherein the step of presenting tracking data including customized event and attribute data categorized by a particular event further comprises the steps of:

receiving a selection of a customized event or attribute data from a list of tracking data categorized by the particular event or attribute; and

presenting tracking data further categorized by the selection.

17. One or more computer readable storage devices having computer readable code embodied on said computer readable storage devices, said computer readable code for programming one or more computers to perform a method for customizing website traffic tracking data comprising the steps of:

inserting embedded tracking code in a web page containing a custom event to be tracked;

modifying the embedding tracking code to track the occurrence of the custom event to be tracked; and

configuring, via a user interface, a data collection server to receive the custom event to be tracked.

18. One or more computer readable storage devices having computer readable code embodied on said computer readable storage devices, said computer readable code for programming one or more computers to perform the method for customizing website traffic tracking data of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

modifying the embedded tracking code to associate a custom attribute with the custom event.

19. One or more computer readable storage devices having computer readable code embodied on said computer readable storage devices, said computer readable code for programming one or more computers to perform the method for customizing website traffic tracking data of claim 18, wherein the custom attribute may retain a value for an indefinite period.

20. One or more computer readable storage devices having computer readable code embodied on said computer readable storage devices, said computer readable code for programming one or more computers to perform the method for customizing website traffic tracking data as in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

generating a configuration string associated with the custom attribute; and

,

inserting the configuration string in data collection code on a website containing the event to be tracked.