WEB usage overlays for third-party WEB plug-in content

• US 20060123340A1
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Bailey, Michael Paul, Error, Brett M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,584,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Overlay reports showing user interaction with web plug-in content are generated. Dimensions of elements within plug-in resources are determined by moving the elements to various locations with an output region and noting changes in overall dimensions of the output region. Once dimensions have been determined, overlay reports are generated including color-coded regions depicting relative levels of interaction.

Claims

1. A method for determining dimensions of an element within a plug-in resource having a rectangular output region, the element having an origin point, the method comprising:

moving the element so that its origin point is at a first corner of the output region;

measuring a first increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the resource;

measuring a first increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the resource;

determining, from the measured increases in output region dimensions, the dimensions of the element; and

restoring the element to its original position within the output region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the element comprises a button.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the element comprises a user-activatable region within the output region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the origin point is located at the center of the element, and wherein determining the dimensions of the element comprises:

determining a horizontal dimension of the element as equal to twice the measured first increase in the horizontal dimension of the output region; and

determining a vertical dimension of the element as equal to twice the measured first increase in the vertical dimension of the output region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the origin point is not located at the center of the element.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to determining the dimensions of the element:

moving the element so that its origin point is at a second corner of the output region, the second corner being diagonally opposite the first corner;

measuring a second increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the resource;

measuring a second increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the resource;

and wherein determining the dimensions of the element comprises;

determining a horizontal dimension of the element as equal to the sum of the first and second measured increases in the horizontal dimension of the output region; and

determining a vertical dimension of the element as equal to the sum of the first and second measured increases in the vertical dimension of the output region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plug-in resource comprises an application and the rectangular output region comprises an area within a web page.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plug-in resource comprises a content item for an application and the rectangular output region comprises an area within a web page.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plug-in resource comprises a Flash item.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the plug-in resource comprises video content.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein moving, measuring, determining, and restoring steps are performed responsive to receiving user input activating the element.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting the determined dimensions of the element.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating and outputting a usage display using the determined dimensions of the element.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a message including the determined dimensions of the element to a software component.

15. A method of generating a usage report for a plug-in resource on a web page, comprising:

receiving a communication indicating user activation of an object within a plug-in resource, the communication comprising an object identifier and additional identifying indicia for the object;

comparing the object identifier and the additional identifying indicia of the user-activated object with records comprising object identifiers and additional identifying indicia;

responsive to the object identifier of the user-activated object being within a predetermined tolerance factor with respect to an object identifier of a stored record, and the identifier of the stored record having additional identifying indicia matching the additional identifying indicia of the user-activated object;

indicating a match between the user-activated object and the stored record; and

generating a report including a representation of the web page including the plug-in resource by superimposing visual indicators quantifying user activations for objects on the representation of the web page including the plug-in resource.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the visual indicators are color-coded.

17. A method of generating a usage report for a plug-in resource on a web page, the plug-in resource comprising an object having an object identifier and additional identifying indicia, comprising:

comparing the object identifier and the additional identifying indicia of the object with records comprising object identifiers and additional identifying indicia;

responsive to the object identifier of the object being within a predetermined tolerance factor with respect to an object identifier of a stored record, and the identifier of the stored record having additional identifying indicia matching the additional identifying indicia of the object;

indicating a match between the object and the stored record;

generating a report including a representation of the web page including the plug-in resource by superimposing visual indicators quantifying user activations for objects on the representation of the web page including the plug-in resource.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the visual indicators are color-coded.

19. A report displaying usage of a plug-in resource on a web page, comprising:

a representation of a plug-in resource including objects; and

superimposed on the representation of the plug-in resource, visual indicators quantifying user activations of the objects.

20. The report of claim 19, wherein the visual indicators are color-coded.

21. A method for displaying a report depicting usage of a plug-in resource on a web page, comprising:

generating a representation of a plug-in resource including objects; and

superimposing on the representation of the plug-in resource, visual indicators quantifying user activations of the objects.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the visual indicators are color-coded.

23. A computer program product for determining dimensions of an element within a plug-in resource having a rectangular output region, the element having an origin point, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

moving the element so that its origin point is at a first corner of the output region;

measuring a first increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the resource;

measuring a first increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the resource;

determining, from the measured increases in output region dimensions, the dimensions of the element; and

restoring the element to its original position within the output region.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the element comprises a button.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the element comprises a user-activatable region within the output region.

26. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the origin point is located at the center of the element, and wherein the computer program code for determining the dimensions of the element comprises computer program code for:

determining a horizontal dimension of the element as equal to twice the measured first increase in the horizontal dimension of the output region; and

determining a vertical dimension of the element as equal to twice the measured first increase in the vertical dimension of the output region.

27. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the origin point is not located at the center of the element.

28. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising computer program code for, prior to determining the dimensions of the element:

moving the element so that its origin point is at a second corner of the output region, the second corner being diagonally opposite the first corner;

measuring a second increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the resource;

measuring a second increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the resource;

and wherein the computer program code for determining the dimensions of the element comprises computer program code for;

determining a horizontal dimension of the element as equal to the sum of the first and second measured increases in the horizontal dimension of the output region; and

determining a vertical dimension of the element as equal to the sum of the first and second measured increases in the vertical dimension of the output region.

29. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the plug-in resource comprises an application and the rectangular output region comprises an area within a web page.

30. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the plug-in resource comprises a content item for an application and the rectangular output region comprises an area within a web page.

31. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the plug-in resource comprises a Flash item.

32. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the plug-in resource comprises video content.

33. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the computer program code for moving, measuring, determining, and restoring operate responsive to receiving user input activating the element.

34. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising computer program code for outputting the determined dimensions of the element.

35. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising computer program code for generating and outputting a usage display using the determined dimensions of the element.

36. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising computer program code for sending a message including the determined dimensions of the element to a software component.

37. A computer program product of generating a usage report for a plug-in resource on a web page, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

receiving a communication indicating user activation of an object within a plug-in resource, the communication comprising an object identifier and additional identifying indicia for the object;

comparing the object identifier and the additional identifying indicia of the user-activated object with records comprising object identifiers and additional identifying indicia;

responsive to the object identifier of the user-activated object being within a predetermined tolerance factor with respect to an object identifier of a stored record, and the identifier of the stored record having additional identifying indicia matching the additional identifying indicia of the user-activated object;

indicating a match between the user-activated object and the stored record; and

generating a report including a representation of the web page including the plug-in resource by superimposing visual indicators quantifying user activations for objects on the representation of the web page including the plug-in resource.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the visual indicators are color-coded.

39. A computer program product of generating a usage report for a plug-in resource on a web page, the plug-in resource comprising an object having an object identifier and additional identifying indicia, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

comparing the object identifier and the additional identifying indicia of the object with records comprising object identifiers and additional identifying indicia;

responsive to the object identifier of the object being within a predetermined tolerance factor with respect to an object identifier of a stored record, and the identifier of the stored record having additional identifying indicia matching the additional identifying indicia of the object;

indicating a match between the object and the stored record;

generating a report including a representation of the web page including the plug-in resource by superimposing visual indicators quantifying user activations for objects on the representation of the web page including the plug-in resource.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein the visual indicators are color-coded.

41. A computer program product for displaying a report depicting usage of a plug-in resource on a web page, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

generating a representation of a plug-in resource including objects; and

superimposing on the representation of the plug-in resource, visual indicators quantifying user activations of the objects.

42. The computer program product of claim 41, wherein the visual indicators are color-coded.

43. A system for determining dimensions of an element within a plug-in resource having a rectangular output region, the element having an origin point, the system comprising:

a content server, for receiving a web page request and for providing, to a client machine, modified plug-in content, the modified plug-in content comprising code for determining dimensions of an element within a plug-in resource by;

moving the element so that its origin point is at a first corner of the output region;

measuring a first increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the resource;

measuring a first increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the resource;

determining, from the measured increases in output region dimensions, the dimensions of the element; and

restoring the element to its original position within the output region;

a data collection server for receiving usage data with respect to the plug-in content;

an analysis module for analyzing the received usage data; and

a report generator for generating at least one overlay report based on the analyzed usage data.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the element comprises a button.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the element comprises a user-activatable region within the output region.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein the plug-in resource comprises an application and the rectangular output region comprises an area within a web page.

47. The system of claim 43, wherein the plug-in resource comprises a content item for an application and the rectangular output region comprises an area within a web page.

48. The system of claim 43, wherein the plug-in resource comprises a Flash item.

49. The system of claim 43, wherein the plug-in resource comprises video content.

50. The system of claim 43, wherein the code causes the moving, measuring, determining, and restoring steps to be performed responsive to receiving user input activating the element.

51. The system of claim 43, wherein the overlay report comprises a usage display using the determined dimensions of the element.