Method and product for identifying a website visitor session by visitor e-mail address

• US 20040128534A1
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nicholas John Walker
• Original Assignee: Nicholas John Walker
• Inventors: Walker, Nicholas John
• Application Number:
  US10/735,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128534A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/200
• 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

Abstract

A method and product for tracking, correlating, and analyzing a visitor'"'"'s e-mail and website access and behavior. Tracking enabled e-mails and web pages with embedded communication software are used to capture and store a visitor'"'"'s e-mail address in a cookie. A unique identifier is added to the cookie, and the cookie is imbedded in the HTML rendering component of the visitor'"'"'s e-mail application and web browser, so that information from the visitor'"'"'s access to e-mail and access to a website and behavior there can be stored and used between the two applications and analyzed by proprietary software.

Claims

1. A method of tracking, correlating, and analyzing the e-mail and internet activities of an Internet visitor, comprising:

adding a tag to a document to create a tracker-enabled document;

providing said tracker-enabled document to said visitor on world wide web; and

capturing an e-mail address from said visitor.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said tracker-enabled document is an HTML rendered e-mail comprising;

an embedded HTML tag with e-mail address of said visitor;

and said capturing of an e-mail address comprises;

when said e-mail is opened or the focus of a browser e-mail is set;

storing said visitor'"'"'s e-mail address in a cookie;

adding a unique identifier to said cookie; and

embedding said cookie in visitor'"'"'s HTML rendering component.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said tracker-enabled document contains an on-line form for said visitor to enter an e-mail address in a required field and said capturing of an e-mail address comprises:

when e-mail address is entered;

storing said e-mail address in a cookie;

adding a unique identifier to said cookie; and

embedding said cookie in visitor'"'"'s HTML rendering component.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said tracker-enabled document contains an on-line form for visitor to enter a visitor name and a password and said capturing of an e-mail address comprises:

when visitor name is entered;

capturing a previously stored e-mail address for that visitor name;

storing said previously stored e-mail address in a cookie;

adding a unique identifier to said cookie; and

embedding said cookie in visitor'"'"'s HTML rendering component.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said tracker-enabled document is a web page and comprises:

an embedded JavaScript or HTML tag that references a URL on a service provider server and enables document to gather visitor information about document'"'"'s usage and initiates a session that service provider monitors.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising;

storing obtained visitor information in a database on a service provider server.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising;

adding said information about documents usage into service provider cookie for return to visitor browser.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein a web site owner accesses an account on a service provider server and obtains a report on visitor'"'"'s activities.

9. A software program product for use in a computer system that executes program steps to track, correlate, and analyze the e-mail and internet activities of an internet visitor, comprising:

a program of computer readable instructions executable by said computer system to perform the method steps comprising;

adding a tag to a document to create a tracker-enabled document;

providing said tracker-enabled document to said visitor on world wide web; and

capturing an e-mail address from said visitor.

10. The software program product of claim 9 wherein said tracker enabled document is an HTML rendered e-mail comprising;

an embedded HTML tag with e-mail address of said visitor;

and said capturing of an e-mail address comprises;

when said e-mail is opened or the focus of a browser e-mail is set;

storing said visitor'"'"'s e-mail address in a cookie;

adding a unique identifier to said cookie; and

embedding said cookie in visitor'"'"'s HTML rendering component.

11. The software program product of claim 9 wherein said tracker-enabled document contains an on-line form for said visitor to enter an e-mail address in a required field and said capturing of an e-mail address comprises:

when e-mail address is entered;

storing said e-mail address in a cookie;

adding a unique identifier to said cookie; and

embedding said cookie in visitor'"'"'s HTML rendering component.

12. The software program product of claim 9 wherein said tracker-enabled document contains an on-line form for visitor to enter a visitor name and a password and said capturing of an e-mail address comprises:

when visitor name is entered;

capturing a previously stored e-mail address for that visitor name;

storing said previously stored e-mail address in a cookie;

adding a unique identifier to said cookie; and

embedding said cookie in visitor'"'"'s HTML rendering component.

13. The software program product of claim 9 wherein said tracker-enabled document is a web page and comprises:

an embedded JavaScript or HTML tag that references a URL on a service provider server;

an e-mail address of said visitor; and

embedded service provider software that enables document to gather visitor information about document'"'"'s usage and initiates a session that service provider monitors.

14. The software program product of claim 9 wherein said program of computer readable instructions executable by the computer system to perform the method steps further comprise;

storing obtained visitor information in a database on a service provider server.

adding said information about documents usage into service provider cookie for return to visitor browser.

15. The software program product of claim 9 wherein said program of computer readable instructions executable by the computer system to perform the method steps further comprise;

providing a report on said visitor'"'"'s activities when requested by a web site owner.