TRACKING USER CLICKS USING AJAX BASED BEACONS

• US 20080270412A1
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yahoo Holdings, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo Holdings, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Wooldridge, Andrew, Udayasankar, Venkateswaran
• Application Number:
  US11/741,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20080270412A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/87 Monitoring of transactions
• 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 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for tracking user clicks via an asynchronous tracking mechanism. The method according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises receiving a first content item and selecting a hyperlink by a user that the first content item provides. An asynchronous request is submitted indicating selection of the hyperlink and a request is submitted for a second content item. The second content item is loaded in response to an asynchronous acknowledgement indicating completion of the transmission of the request.

Claims

1. A method for tracking user clicks via an asynchronous tracking mechanism, the method comprising:

receiving a first content item;

selecting a hyperlink that the first content item provides;

submitting an asynchronous request indicating selection of the hyperlink and a request for a second content item; and

loading the second content item in response to an asynchronous acknowledgement indicating completion of the transmission of the request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a timer interval in response to the selection of the hyperlink; and

loading the second content item in response to expiration of the timer interval.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the timer interval corresponds to an estimation of a interval time required for the completion of the transmission of the asynchronous request.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the timer interval corresponds to an estimation of a time interval required for receipt of the request by the server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the asynchronous request is made through the use of JavaScript program code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first content item corresponds to a search result page that a search engine generates.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first content item comprise program code to generate the asynchronous request.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the asynchronous request contains information regarding selection of the hyperlink.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information regarding the selection of the hyperlink comprises an identification of the selected link, an identification of the user or an identification of a time at which the link was selected.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information regarding the selection of the hyperlink is stored within an HTTP request header.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the information regarding the selection of the hyperlink is stored within a URL query string.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the hyperlink corresponds to a user click.

13. Computer readable media comprising program code that, when executed by a programmable processor, causes the programmable processor to execute a method for tracking user clicks via an asynchronous tracking mechanism, the program code comprising:

program code for receiving a first content item;

program code for selecting a hyperlink that the first content item provides;

program code for submitting an asynchronous request indicating selection of the hyperlink and a request for a second content item; and

program code for loading the second content item in response to an asynchronous acknowledgement indicating completion of the transmission of the request.

14. The computer readable media of claim 13, further comprising:

program code for setting a timer interval in response to the selection of the hyperlink; and

program code for loading the second content item in response to expiration of the timer interval.

15. The computer readable media of claim 14, wherein the program code for setting the timer interval comprises program code for an estimating a time interval required for the completion of the transmission of the asynchronous request.

16. The computer readable media of claim 14, wherein the program code for setting the timer interval comprises program code for estimating a time interval required for a the receipt of the request by the server.

17. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein program code for submitting the asynchronous request is made through the use of JavaScript program code.

18. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the first content item corresponds to a search result page that a search engine generates.

19. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the first content item comprises program code to generate the asynchronous request.

20. The computer readable media of claim 19, wherein the program code for submitting the asynchronous request comprises program code for generating information regarding selection of the hyperlink.

21. The computer readable media of claim 20, wherein the program code for generating information regarding the selection of the hyperlink comprises program code for generating an identification of the selected link, an identification of the user or an identification of a time at which the link was selected.

22. The computer readable media of claim 21, wherein the program code for generating information regarding the selection of the hyperlink comprises program code for storing the information within an HTTP request header.

23. The computer readable media of claim 21, wherein the program code for generating information regarding the selection of the hyperlink comprises program code for storing the information within a URL query string.

24. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the program code for selecting the hyperlink comprises program code for receiving a user click of a hyperlink.