Method and Apparatus for Tracking Functional States of a Web-Site and Reporting Results to Web Developers

• US 20090265774A1
• Filed: 06/25/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yodlee Incorporated (Envestnet Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Christoph Kern, Ganesh Narasimhan, Masroor Malik, Naveen Venkata Akunuri, Sam Khavari, Tim Armandpour
• Inventors: Kern, Christoph, Armandpour, Tim, Khavari, Sam, Narasimhan, Ganesh, Malik, Masroor, Akunuri, Naveen Venkata
• Granted Patent: US 7,856,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/7
• 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 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A software tool for enabling automated tracking of activity related to the status and usage statistics of a plurality of Web sites on a data packet network is provided. The software tool comprises a network communication capability for establishing network communication between the software tool and the tracked Web sites; a plurality of data-reporting modules for obtaining and reporting data about tracked Web sites; a data input function for excepting data from the reporting modules and from external sources; a data recording function for recording and logging the data received from the reporting modules and from the external sources; and a data management function for organizing and storing the received data and rendering the data accessible for use in software development. A software engineer or developer accesses the site-tracking software and connected database through a Web browser from a network-connected workstation in order to utilize data mined from Web sites for the purpose of creating routines enabling automated navigation and site manipulation by proxy for subscribed users.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A proxy portal service, comprising:

a computerized server having one or more Internet interfaces for access to the portal service by subscribers to the service, and for access by the portal service to individual web sites providing additional services; and

software stored on and executing from machine-readable media coupled to the computerized server, the software providing;

an association of an individual subscriber with one or more of the individual web sites providing additional services, including a selection mechanism enabling the subscriber to select a web site and request a service offered by that web site;

a script executable to access the web site selected by the subscriber, on behalf of the subscriber, and to elicit the service requested by the subscriber; and

a function for delivering the service to the subscriber.

25. The portal service of claim 24 wherein access on behalf of the subscriber includes logging in to the web site using a username and password provided in advance by the subscriber.

26. The portal service of claim 24 wherein the software provides a further function for the subscriber to request adding additional web sites to the association of web sites with the subscriber.

27. The portal service of claim 26 wherein the software, on the subscriber requesting a new web site be added to the association, executes pre-programmed code accessing the new requested web site and gathering data enabling a developer to prepare scripts enabling the portal server to access the new web site on behalf of the subscriber, and to provide services for the subscriber by proxy from the new web site.

28. The portal service of claim 24 wherein the software executes an additional function recording when an attempted web site access on behalf of a subscriber fails, or a service requested by the subscriber fails.

29. The portal service of claim 28 wherein the portal service provides the recorded failure to a web developer for repair of scripts for interaction with the web site for which an interaction failed.

30. An Internet proxy method, comprising:

providing a subscriber with access to functions of a computerized server having one or more Internet interfaces for access by the portal service to individual web sites providing additional services;

associating the subscriber with one or more individual web sites providing additional services, including a selection mechanism enabling the subscriber to select a web site and request a service offered by that web site;

accessing the web site selected by the subscriber, on behalf of the subscriber, eliciting the service requested by the subscriber; and

delivering the service to the subscriber.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein access on behalf of the subscriber includes logging in to the web site using a username and password provided in advance by the subscriber.

32. The method of claim 30 further comprising a function for the subscriber to request adding additional web sites to the association of web sites with the subscriber.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein, upon the subscriber requesting a new web site be added to the association, the new requested web site is accessed and data is gathered enabling a developer to prepare scripts enabling access to the new web site on behalf of the subscriber, and providing services for the subscriber by proxy from the new web site.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein failure of web site access on behalf of a subscriber, or failure of a service requested by the subscriber, is recorded.

35. The method of claim 34 including a step for providing the recorded failure to a web developer for repair of scripts for interaction with the web site for which an interaction failed.