Use of browser history file to determine web site reach

• US 20050216581A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Company (US) LLC (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: Nielsen Media Research, LLC
• Inventors: Harkness, David H., Bhatia, Manish, Blumenau, Trevor I.
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

In a method of metering Web usage, a collection program is downloaded from a server to a metered computer in response to a message transmitted from the metered computer to the server, and the collection program is executed on the metered computer in order to collect Web usage history information stored in a history file by a browser running on the metered computer. The collected Web site usage history information is transmitted by the metered computer to the server. The Web site usage history information is stored in the server along with Web site usage history information from other metered computers.

Claims

1. A method of metering Web site reach through execution of program code running on at least one computer comprising the following steps:

a) accessing Web site access history information; and

,

b) copying the Web site access history information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step a) includes the step of transmitting a data collection application from a first computer to a second computer, wherein the second computer has the history information, and wherein step b) includes the step of copying the Web site access history information through execution of the data collection application on the second computer.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein step b) includes the step of transmitting the Web site access history information to the first computer.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of storing in the first computer the Web site access history information from the second computer together with Web site access history information from other computers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein steps a) and b) are performed by a meter located at a metered computer.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the metered computer is a first computer, and wherein step b) includes the step of transmitting the Web site access history information to a second computer.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of storing in the second computer the Web site access history information from the first computer together with Web site access history information from other metered computers.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the history information is stored by a browser.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein step a) includes the step of transmitting a data collection application from a first computer to a second computer, wherein the second computer has the browser and the history information, and wherein step b) includes the step of copying the Web site access history information through execution of the data collection application on the second computer.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein step b) includes the step of transmitting the Web site access history information to the first computer.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of storing in the first computer the Web site access history information from the second computer together with Web site access history information from other computers.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein steps a) and b) are performed by a meter located at a metered computer running the browser.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the metered computer is a first computer, and wherein step b) includes the step of transmitting the Web site access history information to a second computer.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of storing in the second computer the Web site access history information from the first computer together with Web site access history information from other metered computers.

15. A method of metering Web site reach through execution of program code running on at least one of first and second computers comprising the following steps:

a) accessing Web site access history information stored in a history file stored on the first computer; and

,

b) communicating the Web site access history the central facility or other destination.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein step a) includes the step of transmitting a data collection application from the second computer to the first computer, and collecting the Web site access history information through execution of the data collection application on the first computer.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of storing in the second computer the Web site access history information from the first computer together with Web site access history information from other computers.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein steps a) and b) are performed by a meter located at the first computer.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of storing in the second computer the Web site access history information from the first computer together with Web site access history information from other computers.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the history file is stored by a browser running on the first computer.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein step a) includes the steps of transmitting a data collection application from the second computer to the first computer, and collecting the Web site access history information through execution of the data collection application on the first computer.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the following step of storing in the second computer the Web site access history information from the first computer together with Web site access history information from other computers.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein steps a) and b) are performed by a meter located at the first computer.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of storing in the second computer the Web site access history information from the first computer together with Web site access history information from other computers.

25. A method of metering Web usage comprising the following steps:

a) downloading a collection program from a server to a metered computer in response to a message transmitted from the metered computer to the server; and

,

b) executing the collection program on the metered computer in order to collect Web usage history information stored in a history file by a browser running on the metered computer.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein step b) includes the step of transmitting the collected Web site usage history information to the server.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of storing in the server the Web site usage history information from the metered computer together with Web site usage history information from other metered computers.