COLLECTION OF INTRANET ACTIVITY DATA

• US 20120290545A1
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Perantatos, George, Meyers, Brian R., Caldwell, Gary, TUMANOV, ILYA, Wana, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,477,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/694
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products for facilitating the collection of data within a computer network (especially an intranet) while complying with applicable privacy laws and regulations, as well as individual organizations'"'"' rules addressing intranet users'"'"' privacy are disclosed. Such systems, methods and computer program products allow for the collecting of activity information related to computer-based activities performed by users while logged into an organization'"'"'s intranet. Such activity includes navigating to URLs, opening and editing documents, writing, opening and reading email and instant messages, and the like. The collecting, consolidating, storing and exposing of such activity information—while ensuring privacy requirements—serves as a basis for high-value services (e.g., augmenting documents with extra information, improving search results, automatic news feeds, social networking announcements, etc.) to be offered and provisioned to such users.

Claims

1. A system for the collection of activity data related to a plurality of users within an intranet in compliance with at least one privacy law and at least one organizational policy, comprising:

(a) a data collection server, deployed within the intranet, configured to collect activity data related to the plurality of users from at least one of source within the intranet;

(b) a database, coupled to said data collection server, capable of storing said activity data;

(c) a control server, coupled to said database, configured to control and monitor the collection of said activity data from said at least one source; and

(d) at least one configuration table, stored on said control server, containing at least one rule regulating the collection of said activity data related to the plurality of users;

wherein said activity data stored in said database facilitates the provisioning of at least one high-value service to the plurality of users.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one rule contained in said at least one configuration table is one of:

an access rule;

an aggregation rule;

a transformation rule;

an exclusion rule; and

a consent rule.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one source of activity data is a log file found within at least one of:

a web content management server;

a document management server;

a web server;

a proxy server;

a directory service information server;

an email server; and

a client-side logging application.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) means for providing a graphical user interface to allow the editing of said at least one configuration table in order to comply with at least one of;

a change in the at least one privacy law; and

the at least one organizational policy.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one high-value service is one of:

augmenting documents with extra information;

improving search results;

automatic news feeds; and

social networking announcements.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said activity data is data related to one of the plurality of users and results from said one of the plurality of users:

navigating to a URL;

opening a document;

editing a document;

writing an email;

opening an email;

reading an email;

sending an instant message; and

receiving an instant message.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one rule specifies a pre-determined schedule to collect activity data from said at least one source.

8. A computer-implemented method for collecting activity data related to a plurality of users within an intranet in compliance with at least one privacy law and at least one organizational policy, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating at least one configuration table, stored on a control server deployed within the intranet, containing at least one rule regulating the collection of activity data related to the plurality of users;

(b) collecting, at a collection server deployed within the intranet, activity data related to the plurality of users from at least one of source within the intranet; and

(c) storing, at a database coupled to said data collection server and said control server, said activity data collected by said collection server;

wherein said activity data stored in said database facilitates the provisioning of at least one high-value service to the plurality of users; and

wherein said at least one high-value service is one of;

augmenting documents with extra information;

improving search results;

automatic news feeds; and

social networking announcements.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein said at least one rule contained in said at least one configuration table is one of:

an access rule;

an aggregation rule;

a transformation rule;

an exclusion rule; and

a consent rule.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein said at least one source of activity data is a log file found within at least one of:

a web content management server;

a document management server;

a web server;

a proxy server;

a directory service information server;

an email server; and

a client-side logging application.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

(d) receiving an edit, via a graphical user interface, of said at least one configuration table in order to comply with at least one of;

a change in the at least one privacy law; and

the at least one organizational policy.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein said activity data is data related to one of the plurality of users and results from said one of the plurality of users:

navigating to a URL;

opening a document;

editing a document;

writing an email;

opening an email;

reading an email;

sending an instant message; and

receiving an instant message.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein said at least one rule specifies a pre-determined schedule to collect activity data from said at least one source.

14. A computer program product comprising computer usable medium encoded in a computer having control logic stored therein for causing the computer to collect activity data related to a plurality of users within an intranet in compliance with at least one privacy law and at least one organizational policy, said control logic comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to create at least one configuration table, stored on a control server deployed within the intranet, containing at least one rule regulating the collection of activity data related to the plurality of users;

second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to collect, at a collection server deployed within the intranet, activity data related to the plurality of users from at least one of source within the intranet; and

third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to store, at a database coupled to said data collection server and said control server, said activity data collected by said collection server;

wherein said activity data stored in said database facilitates the provisioning of at least one high-value service to the plurality of users.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said at least one rule contained in said at least one configuration table is one of:

an access rule;

an aggregation rule;

a transformation rule;

an exclusion rule; and

a consent rule.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said at least one source of activity data is a log file found within at least one of:

a web content management server;

a document management server;

a web server;

a proxy server;

a directory service information server;

an email server; and

a client-side logging application.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising:

fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive an edit, via a graphical user interface, of said at least one configuration table in order to comply with at least one of;

a change in the at least one privacy law; and

the at least one organizational policy.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said activity data is data related to one of the plurality of users and results from said one of the plurality of users:

navigating to a URL;

opening a document;

editing a document;

writing an email;

opening an email;

reading an email;

sending an instant message; and

receiving an instant message.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said at least one rule specifies a pre-determined schedule to collect activity data from said at least one source.

20. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said at least one high-value service is one of:

augmenting documents with extra information;

improving search results;

automatic news feeds; and

social networking announcements.