Reducing Redirects

• US 20120311017A1
• Filed: 06/06/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kleber, Michael, Gagne, Mathieu, Sze, Franky Shing, Kontothanassis, Leonidas
• Granted Patent: US 9,282,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• 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 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for reducing redirects. In one aspect, a method includes receiving request data indicating that a user device has requested a content item. The request data specifies other data processing apparatus to which user interactions with the content item are to be reported. The content item includes a reference to a resource that is requested in response to user interaction with the content item. Response data is provided. The response data includes data that cause presentation of the content item. Interaction data is received specifying user interaction with the content item occurred. Redirect data is provided that cause the user device to be redirected to the resource. Reporting data is provided to the other data processing apparatus, specifying user interaction with the content item occurred. The reporting data is provided asynchronously relative to the redirect data.

Claims

1. A method performed by data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving request data indicating that a user device has requested a content item, the request data specifying one or more other data processing apparatus to which user interactions with the content item are to be reported, the content item including a reference to a resource that is requested in response to user interaction with the content item;

providing response data in response to the request data, the response data including data that cause presentation of the content item;

receiving interaction data specifying that user interaction with the content item occurred;

providing redirect data that cause the user device to be redirected to the resource; and

providing reporting data to each of the one or more other data processing apparatus, the reporting data specifying that the user interaction with the content item occurred, wherein the reporting data is provided asynchronously relative to the redirect data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving request data that specify one or more other data processing apparatus comprises receiving request data that includes a unique identifier for each of the one or more other data processing apparatus to which the user interactions are to be reported.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving request data that includes a unique identifier comprises receiving request data that includes a unique identifier that uniquely identifies a specific user device that was used to interact with the content item.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein providing response data further comprises providing response data in which the unique identifier is included in a uniform resource locator (URL).

5. The method of claim 2, wherein providing reporting data comprises providing reporting data that include the unique identifier for each of the one or more other data processing apparatus to which the user interactions are to be reported.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing reporting data comprises providing reporting data that include an encrypted shared unique identifier.

7. A method performed by data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving request data indicating that a user device has requested a content item,

providing response data in response to the request data, the response data including a location from which the user device can receive the content item, the content item including a reference to a resource that is requested in response to user interaction with the content item;

receiving interaction data specifying that user interaction with the content item occurred, the interaction data specifying one or more other data processing apparatus to which user interactions with the content item are to be reported;

providing redirect data that cause the user device to be redirected to the resource; and

providing reporting data to each of the one or more other data processing apparatus, the reporting data specifying that the user interaction with the content item occurred, wherein the reporting data is provided asynchronously relative to the redirect data.

8. A method performed by data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a content item request that was initiated by a user device, the content item request indicating that a content item has been requested for presentation at the user device;

generating a unique identifier in response to receiving the request;

providing content item location data to the user device, the content item location data including the unique identifier and data specifying a network location of a different data processing apparatus from which the content item that is responsive to the content item request is obtainable;

receiving, from the different data processing apparatus, reporting data specifying that user interaction with the content item occurred, the reporting data including the unique identifier; and

logging data specifying that the user interaction with the content item occurred.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing content item location data further comprises providing content item location data in which the unique identifier is included in a uniform resource locator (URL) for the content item that is responsive to the content item request.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein providing content item location data that includes the unique identifier comprises providing content item location data that includes a unique identifier that uniquely identifies a specific user device to which the content item location data was provided.

11. A system comprising:

a user device; and

one or more computers operable to interact with the user device and further operable to perform operations including;

receiving request data indicating that a user device has requested a content item, the request data specifying one or more other data processing apparatus to which user interactions with the content item are to be reported, the content item including a reference to a resource that is requested in response to user interaction with the content item;

providing response data in response to the request data, the response data including data that cause presentation of the content item;

receiving interaction data specifying that user interaction with the content item occurred;

providing redirect data that cause the user device to be redirected to the resource; and

providing reporting data to each of the one or more other data processing apparatus, the reporting data specifying that the user interaction with the content item occurred, wherein the reporting data is provided asynchronously relative to the redirect data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein receiving request data that specify one or more other data processing apparatus comprises receiving request data that includes a unique identifier for each of the one or more other data processing apparatus to which the user interactions are to be reported.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein receiving request data that includes a unique identifier comprises receiving request data that includes a unique identifier that uniquely identifies a specific user device that was used to interact with the content item.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein providing response data further comprises providing response data in which the unique identifier is included in a uniform resource locator (URL).

15. The system of claim 12, wherein providing reporting data comprises providing reporting data that include the unique identifier for each of the one or more other data processing apparatus to which the user interactions are to be reported.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein providing reporting data comprises providing reporting data that include an encrypted shared unique identifier.

17. A system comprising:

a user device; and

one or more computers operable to interact with the user device and further operable to perform operations including;

receiving request data indicating that a user device has requested a content item,

providing response data in response to the request data, the response data including a location from which the user device can receive the content item, the content item including a reference to a resource that is requested in response to user interaction with the content item;

receiving interaction data specifying that user interaction with the content item occurred, the interaction data specifying one or more other data processing apparatus to which user interactions with the content item are to be reported;

providing redirect data that cause the user device to be redirected to the resource; and

providing reporting data to each of the one or more other data processing apparatus, the reporting data specifying that the user interaction with the content item occurred, wherein the reporting data is provided asynchronously relative to the redirect data.

18. A system comprising:

a user device; and

one or more computers operable to interact with the user device and further operable to perform operations including;

receiving a content item request that was initiated by a user device, the content item request indicating that a content item has been requested for presentation at the user device;

generating a unique identifier in response to receiving the request;

providing content item location data to the user device, the content item location data including the unique identifier and data specifying a network location of a different data processing apparatus from which the content item that is responsive to the content item request is obtainable;

receiving, from the different data processing apparatus, reporting data specifying that user interaction with the content item occurred, the reporting data including the unique identifier; and

logging data specifying that the user interaction with the content item occurred.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein providing content item location data further comprises providing content item location data in which the unique identifier is included in a uniform resource locator (URL) for the content item that is responsive to the content item request.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein providing content item location data that includes the unique identifier comprises providing content item location data that includes a unique identifier that uniquely identifies a specific user device to which the content item location data was provided.

21. A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving request data indicating that a user device has requested a content item, the request data specifying one or more other data processing apparatus to which user interactions with the content item are to be reported, the content item including a reference to a resource that is requested in response to user interaction with the content item;

providing response data in response to the request data, the response data including data that cause presentation of the content item;

receiving interaction data specifying that user interaction with the content item occurred;

providing redirect data that cause the user device to be redirected to the resource; and

providing reporting data to each of the one or more other data processing apparatus, the reporting data specifying that the user interaction with the content item occurred, wherein the reporting data is provided asynchronously relative to the redirect data.

22. A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving request data indicating that a user device has requested a content item,

providing response data in response to the request data, the response data including a location from which the user device can receive the content item, the content item including a reference to a resource that is requested in response to user interaction with the content item;

receiving interaction data specifying that user interaction with the content item occurred, the interaction data specifying one or more other data processing apparatus to which user interactions with the content item are to be reported;

providing redirect data that cause the user device to be redirected to the resource; and

providing reporting data to each of the one or more other data processing apparatus, the reporting data specifying that the user interaction with the content item occurred, wherein the reporting data is provided asynchronously relative to the redirect data.

23. A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving a content item request that was initiated by a user device, the content item request indicating that a content item has been requested for presentation at the user device;

generating a unique identifier in response to receiving the request;

providing content item location data to the user device, the content item location data including the unique identifier and data specifying a network location of a different data processing apparatus from which the content item that is responsive to the content item request is obtainable;

receiving, from the different data processing apparatus, reporting data specifying that user interaction with the content item occurred, the reporting data including the unique identifier; and

logging data specifying that the user interaction with the content item occurred.