USER IDENTIFICATION IN THE HEADER OF DATA PACKETS
First Claim
1. A method of identifying a computer user on a network, comprising:
- instructing a computing device used by multiple members of a household to include, in a data field of a request for data sent from a browser program running on the computing device, identification data that uniquely identifies the computing device on the network and that includes information about a user of the computing device that identifies the user from among the multiple members of the household;
receiving the data field from the computing device with the request for data made by the computing device;
parsing the data field to extract the identification data; and
identifying the computing device and the user from the extracted identification data.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Several ways of identifying users and collecting demographic information and market information are disclosed, including branding a browser with a unique identification in each user request, identifying a user by his key strokes or mouse clicks, gathering demographic information using multiple data sets and by monitoring network traffic. Additionally, user requested content is distinguished from other, non-user content, and the performance of a server can be monitor and analyzed from a client a client perspective. Further, an Internet user'"'"'s Internet data is routed to a known domain on the Internet, from which it is routed on to the intended recipient. The domain includes proxy servers which proxy the user'"'"'s data requests to the domain, and database servers, which filter and build a database of the user'"'"'s Internet usage. Particular data concerning certain behaviors of interest, such as purchasing data, is filtered into the database, and can form the basis for numerous market measures.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of identifying a computer user on a network, comprising:
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instructing a computing device used by multiple members of a household to include, in a data field of a request for data sent from a browser program running on the computing device, identification data that uniquely identifies the computing device on the network and that includes information about a user of the computing device that identifies the user from among the multiple members of the household; receiving the data field from the computing device with the request for data made by the computing device; parsing the data field to extract the identification data; and identifying the computing device and the user from the extracted identification data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of identifying a computer user on a network, the method comprising:
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connecting a computing device used by a user to a network; generating, at a browser program running on the computing device, requests for data; altering a data field in the generated requests for data such that the data field includes identification data that uniquely identifies the computing device, wherein; the altered data field includes information about a user of the computing device, multiple members of a household use the computing device, the information about a user of the computing device identifies the user from among the members of the household; and sending the requests for data onto the network with the altered data field, wherein sending requests onto the network comprises sending requests onto the network with the information that identifies the user from among the members of the household. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program configured to identify a computer user on a network, the program comprising one or more code segments configured to:
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instruct a computing device used by multiple members of a household to include, in a data field of a request for data sent from a browser program running on the computing device, identification data that uniquely identifies the computing device on the network and that identifies the user from among multiple members of the household; receive the data field from the computing device with the request for data made by the computing device; parse the data field to extract the identification data; and identify the computing device and the user from the extracted identification data. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program configured to identify a computer user on a network, the program comprising one or more code segments configured to:
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connect a computing device used by a user to a network; generate, at a browser program running on the computing device, requests for data; alter a data field in the generated requests for data, such that the data field includes identification data that uniquely identifies the computing device, wherein; the altered data field includes information about a user of the computing device, multiple members of a household use the computing device, and the information about a user of the computing device identifies the user from among the members of the household; and send the requests for data onto the network with the altered data field, wherein the one or more code segments configured to send the requests onto the network comprises the one or more code segments being configured to send the requests onto the network with the information that identifies the user from among the members of the household.
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21. A method of identifying a computer user on a network, comprising:
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generating, at a browser program running on a computing device used by multiple members of a household, a request for data, the request for data comprising a resource location in a first data field, and identification data in a second data field, wherein; the identification data uniquely identifies the computing device on a network, the identification data includes information about a user of the computing device, and the information about a user of the computing device identifies the user from among the multiple members of the household; and sending the request for data onto the network with the first data field including the resource location and the second data field including the identification data. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A method of identifying a computer user on a network, comprising:
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instructing a computing device used by multiple members of a household to include, in a request for data sent from a browser program running on the computing device identification data, the request for data comprising a resource location in a first data field and identification data a second data field wherein; the identification data uniquely identifies the computing device on a network, the identification data includes information about a user of the computing device, and the information about a user of the computing device identifies the user from among the multiple members of the household; and parse the second data field to extract the identification data; and identify the computing device and the user from the extracted identification data.
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Specification