Internet service error tracking

• US 20050021744A1
• Filed: 04/29/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetZero Incorporated (B. Riley Financial, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NetZero Incorporated (B. Riley Financial, Inc.)
• Inventors: Warren, Terry, Zebian, Marwan, Burr, Ronald, MacKenzie, Harold, Haitsuka, Stacy, Blaser, W. Shane, Giffen, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 7,240,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2872 Termination of subscriber connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a client application for enabling access to an online service and displaying advertisements while the user is accessing the online service. The client application receives play lists from the online service provider. The play lists include information about advertisements to be played and the order of play. In conjunction with the client application displaying advertisements, the client application and an online service provider server also track and record the occurrence of hardware and software errors and malfunctions that occur in relation to the provision of the online service. The types of errors may include errors in a communication channel from a local device to an online service provider server, data access errors, and any other errors that may occur in the operation of software and hardware, such as software crashes and the incorrect display of advertisements.

Claims

1. A local device to track and record events in an online session by a local device using a client application, the local device including an input device and an output device, access an online server associated with an online service and provide interaction with the online service, the local device comprising:

a processor

a memory coupled with the processor

a storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the local device to perform actions comprising;

the client application activating;

the client application attempting to establish and failing to establish a first communication channel from the local device to the online server via a public-switched telephone network;

the client application creating a first error record memorializing the occurrence of the failed attempt to establish the first communication channel;

the client application storing the first error record on a data store local to the local device;

the client application attempting to establish and successfully establishing a second communication channel from the local device to the online server;

the client application transmitting the first error record to the online server after the second communication channel is successfully established from the local device to the online server.

2. A local device to track and record events in an online session by a local device using a client application, the local device including an input device and an output device, access an online server associated with an online service and provide interaction with the online service, the local device comprising:

a processor

a memory coupled with the processor

a storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the local device to perform actions comprising

the client application activating;

the client application attempting to establish a communication channel from the local device to the online server;

the client application monitoring whether the communication channel is successfully established from the local device to the online server;

the client application creating a first error record if the local device fails to establish a communication channel from the local device to the online server, wherein the first error record memorializes the occurrence of the failed attempt to establish a communication channel;

the client application establishing a communication channel from the local device to the online server;

the client application causing advertisements to be displayed on the output device of the local device;

the client application transmitting the first error record to the online server via the communication channel;

the online server storing the error record in a data store.

3. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with an online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 2, wherein the local device fails to establish a communication channel due to a busy signal.

4. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with an online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 2, wherein the local device fails to establish a communication channel due to a no-answer signal.

5. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with an online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 2, the storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the local device to perform actions further comprising:

the client application monitoring whether the communication channel remains successfully established;

the client application creating a second error record if communication channel fails, wherein the second error record memorializes the occurrence of the failed communication channel;

the client application storing the second error record on the data store;

the client application transmitting the second error record to the online server after the second communication channel is successfully established.

6. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with an online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 5, the storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the local device to perform actions further comprising:

after the client application has established a communication channel from the local device to the online server, the online server verifying whether the user is authorized to receive advertisements across the communication channel;

the online server creating an error record if it is determined that the user is not authorized to receive advertisements across the communication channel.

7. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with an online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 5, the storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the local device to perform actions further comprising:

the online server automatically closing the communication channel if it is determined that the user is not authorized to receive advertisements across the communication channel.

8. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with an online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 5, wherein the error record includes the date and time at which the failed attempt to establish a communication channel occurred and a telephone number used in the attempt to establish the communication channel.

9. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with an online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 5, the storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the local device to perform actions further comprising:

closing the communication channel from the local device to the online server;

the client application determining whether the closing of the communication channel occurred as a result of user instruction;

if the closing of the communication channel did not occur as a result of user instruction, the client application creating an error record memorializing that the communication channel was closed.

10. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with an online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 7, wherein the client application is associated with a version identifier, and wherein the online server verifies whether the user is authorized to receive advertisements across the communication channel from the local device to the online server by determining whether the version identifier of the client application is an authorized version identifier.

11. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with an online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 7, the storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the local device to perform actions further comprising:

the client application attempting to transmit data to the online server across the communication channel;

the online server failing to receive the data;

the client application creating an error record, wherein the error record memorializes the failed attempt to transmit data across the communication channel.

12. A local device to track and record events in relation to the displaying of advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on the local device, the local device including an input device and an output device, access an online server associated with the online service and provide interaction with the online service, the local device communicating with the online server through a communication channel, the local device comprising:

a processor

a memory coupled with the processor

a storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the local device to perform actions comprising

the client application activating;

the client application attempting to receive a data set from the online server over the communication channel;

the client application failing to receive the data set from the online server over the communication channel;

the client application creating an error record memorializing the failed attempt to receive the data set over the communication channel, wherein the error record includes a date and time at which the failed attempt occurred and an identification number associated with the online server;

the client application again attempting to receive a data set from the online server over the communication channel;

the client application receiving the data set from the online server over the communication channel;

the client application displaying at least one advertisement on the display device of the local device, wherein the display of the at least one advertisement is associated with the data set received from the online server.

13. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with the online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 12, wherein the data set is associated with a play list comprising at least one ad object, each ad object comprising a resource locator for a given advertisement, a resource locator for a click-through associated with the given advertisement, and at least one display attribute for the given advertisement, the first play list further specifying an order in which the advertisements identified in the play list are to be displayed.

14. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with the online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 12, wherein the data set comprises information relating to the user'"'"'s geographic location, age, gender, and marital status.

15. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with the online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 12, wherein the communication channel is a physical connection over a public switched telephone network.

16. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with the online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 12, wherein the communication channel is a cable modem connection.

17. A local device to track and record events in relation to the displaying of advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device, the local device including an input device and an output device, access an online server associated with the online service and provide interaction with the online service, the local device communicating with the online server through a communication channel, the local device comprising:

a processor

a memory coupled with the processor

a storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the local device to perform actions comprising

the client application activating;

a browser application activating;

the client application receiving at least one advertisement from the online server over the communication channel;

the client application displaying the advertisement on the display device of the local device, wherein at least one malfunction occurs relating to the display of the advertisement;

the client application creating an error record memorializing the occurrence of the malfunction;

the client application transmitting the error record to the online server;

the online server storing the error record in a data store.

18. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with the online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 17, wherein advertisement is displayed in accordance with a play list comprising at least one ad object, each ad object comprising a resource locator for a given advertisement, a resource locator for a click-through associated with the given advertisement, and at least one display attribute for the given advertisement, the first play list further specifying an order in which the advertisements identified in the play list are to be displayed.

19. The local device to track and record events, access an online server associated with the online service and provide interaction with the online service of claim 17, wherein at least one of the resource locators for a given advertisement in the play list is incorrect and wherein the malfunction comprises the client application displaying an incorrect advertisement.

20. A program product for use in a computer system that executes program steps recorded in a computer-readable media to perform a method for tracking and recording events in an online session by a local device using a client application, the local device including an input device and an output device, the local device accessing an online server associated with an online service and providing interaction with the online service, the program product comprising:

a recordable media; and

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

the client application activating;

the client application attempting to establish and failing to establish a first communication channel from the local device to the online server via a public-switched telephone network;

the client application creating a first error record memorializing the occurrence of the failed attempt to establish the first communication channel;

the client application storing the first error record on a data store local to the local device;

the client application attempting to establish and successfully establishing a second communication channel from the local device to the online server;

the client application transmitting the first error record to the online server after the second communication channel is successfully established from the local device to the online server.

21. A program product for use in a computer system that executes program steps recorded in a computer-readable media to perform a method for tracking and recording events in an online session by a local device using a client application on a local device, the local device including an input device and an output device, the local device accessing an online server associated with the online service and providing interaction with the online service, the program product comprising:

a recordable media; and

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

the client application activating;

the client application attempting to establish a communication channel from the local device to the online server;

the client application monitoring whether the communication channel is successfully established from the local device to the online server;

the client application creating a first error record if the local device fails to establish a communication channel from the local device to the online server, wherein the first error record memorializes the occurrence of the failed attempt to establish a communication channel;

the client application establishing a communication channel from the local device to the online server;

the client application causing advertisements to be displayed on the output device of the local device;

the client application transmitting the first error record to the online server via the communication channel;

the online server storing the error record in a data store.

22. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 21, wherein the local device fails to establish a communication channel due to a busy signal.

23. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 21, wherein the local device fails to establish a communication channel due to a no-answer signal.

24. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 21, wherein the program of computer-readable instructions executable by the computer system to perform method steps further comprising:

the client application monitoring whether the communication channel remains successfully established;

the client application creating a second error record if communication channel fails, wherein the second error record memorializes the occurrence of the failed communication channel;

the client application storing the second error record on the data store;

the client application transmitting the second error record to the online server after the second communication channel is successfully established.

25. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 24, wherein the program of computer-readable instructions executable by the computer system to perform method steps further comprising:

after the client application has established a communication channel from the local device to the online server, the online server verifying whether the user is authorized to receive advertisements across the communication channel;

the online server creating an error record if it is determined that the user is not authorized to receive advertisements across the communication channel.

26. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 24, wherein the program of computer-readable instructions executable by the computer system to perform method steps further comprising:

the online server automatically closing the communication channel if it is determined that the user is not authorized to receive advertisements across the communication channel.

27. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 24, wherein the error record includes the date and time at which the failed attempt to establish a communication channel occurred and a telephone number used in the attempt to establish the communication channel.

28. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 24, wherein the program of computer-readable instructions executable by the computer system to perform method steps further comprising:

closing the communication channel from the local device to the online server;

the client application determining whether the closing of the communication channel occurred as a result of user instruction;

if the closing of the communication channel did not occur as a result of user instruction, the client application creating an error record memorializing that the communication channel was closed.

29. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 26, wherein the client application is associated with a version identifier, and wherein the online server verifies whether the user is authorized to receive advertisements across the communication channel from the local device to the online server by determining whether the version identifier of the client application is an authorized version identifier.

30. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 26, wherein the program of computer-readable instructions executable by the computer system to perform method steps further comprising:

the client application attempting to transmit data to the online server across the communication channel;

the online server failing to receive the data;

the client application creating an error record, wherein the error record memorializes the failed attempt to transmit data across the communication channel.

31. A program product for use in a computer system that executes program steps recorded in a computer-readable media to perform a method for tracking and recording events in relation to the displaying of advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device, the local device including an input device and an output device, the local device accessing an online server associated with the online service and providing interaction with the online service, the local device communicating with the online server through a communication channel, the program product comprising:

a recordable media; and

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

the client application activating;

the client application attempting to receive a data set from the online server over the communication channel;

the client application failing to receive the data set from the online server over the communication channel;

the client application creating an error record memorializing the failed attempt to receive the data set over the communication channel, wherein the error record includes a date and time at which the failed attempt occurred and an identification number associated with the online server;

the client application again attempting to receive a data set from the online server over the communication channel;

the client application receiving the data set from the online server over the communication channel;

the client application displaying at least one advertisement on the display device of the local device, wherein the display of the at least one advertisement is associated with the data set received from the online server.

32. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 31, wherein the data set is associated with a play list comprising at least one ad object, each ad object comprising a resource locator for a given advertisement, a resource locator for a click-through associated with the given advertisement, and at least one display attribute for the given advertisement, the first play list further specifying an order in which the advertisements identified in the play list are to be displayed.

33. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 31, wherein the data set comprises information relating to the user'"'"'s geographic location, age, gender, and marital status.

34. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 31, wherein the communication channel is a physical connection over a public switched telephone network.

35. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 31, wherein the communication channel is a cable modem connection.

36. A program product for use in a computer system that executes program steps recorded in a computer-readable media to perform a method for tracking and recording events in relation to the displaying of advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device, the local device including an input device and an output device, the local device accessing an online server associated with the online service and providing interaction with the online service, the local device communicating with the online server through a communication channel, the program product comprising:

a recordable media; and

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

the client application activating;

a browser application activating;

the client application receiving at least one advertisement from the online server over the communication channel;

the client application displaying the advertisement on the display device of the local device, wherein at least one malfunction occurs relating to the display of the advertisement;

the client application creating an error record memorializing the occurrence of the malfunction;

the client application transmitting the error record to the online server;

the online server storing the error record in a data store.

37. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 36, wherein advertisement is displayed in accordance with a play list comprising at least one ad object, each ad object comprising a resource locator for a given advertisement, a resource locator for a click-through associated with the given advertisement, and at least one display attribute for the given advertisement, the first play list further specifying an order in which the advertisements identified in the play list are to be displayed.

38. The program product for use in a computer system of claim 36, wherein at least one of the resource locators for a given advertisement in the play list is incorrect and wherein the malfunction comprises the client application displaying an incorrect advertisement.