System and method for processing and presenting internet usage information

• US 6,606,657 B1
• Filed: 06/22/1999
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mavenir Ltd. (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Comverse Limited (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zilberstein, Moshe, Rousso, Benny, Ronen, Avner, Buber, Shai, Ventura, Ronen, Matsliach, Gaby
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/338,482
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/218, 709/224, 709/226, 709/227, 709/229, 709/228, 709/232, 705/34, 707/5, 710/10
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for gathering and disseminating detailed information regarding web site visitation. A server system is connected to the Internet and receives, processes and supplies detailed information from subscribed users. In response to user queries, the server system provides detailed information regarding the sites that have been visited, the duration and times of such visits, the most popular web sites, the most popular jump sites from a particular web page, etc. Such information is gathered and transmitted to subscribers who have downloaded a client-side reporting and communicating software application that is compatible with the server system. In addition, since users submit profile information about themselves, much demographic information is known about the users. Demographic information as to the popularity of visited web sites may then be easily determined, stored and updated by the server system. This demographic information, in turn, may be provided to other users, or web site operators and advertisers. The invention disclosed also allows users to initiate chat sessions with other users visiting a particular web site, or post a virtual note on the site for other subscribers to read.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring Internet usage by a user at a terminal, comprising the steps of:

detecting an access by the user to a new web site having a URL;

determining a first time interval between the detected access to the new web site and a detected access to a previous web site;

sending said first time interval and said URL to a predefined Internet address;

determining a second time interval which indicates a period of time during which the user actively accessed said previous web site;

said step of sending further including the step of transmitting said second time interval to said predefined Internet address;

receiving user registration information;

storing said user registration information at said terminal;

said step of sending further including the step of transmitting at least some of said user registration information to said predefined Internet address;

compiling the user registration information in a central server;

storing the user registration information in real time memory in said central server;

processing the user registration information to determine current “

hot”

Internet sites;

processing the user registration information to determine historically popular sites; and

presenting the processed user registration information to said user;

said step of presenting further including the step of displaying a histogram on a user display screen, and integrating said processed user registration information with one of link maps, directory information and other navigation tools.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the steps of

detecting said access, determining said first time interval, and sending said first time interval occur at a user computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said real-time memory is one of dynamic memory-based hash tables and disk-based log files.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

upon said user entering at least one of the new web page and web site, automatically providing to said user information regarding other users which access at least one of a same web page and web site as the user.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

said user communicating with at least one other user accessing at least one of the same web page and web site.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

said user initiating a real-time chat with other site visitors.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

leaving at least one note in a web page.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

providing a notification to the user that at least one note exists on the web page when another user visits the web page; and

communicating with a note owner.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

compiling popular “

surf”

patterns which originate from a particular web page.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

utilizing the popular “

surf”

patterns to identify next web page destinations which are most popular.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the next web page destinations which are most popular are focused according to demographic information.

12. A method for monitoring Internet usage by a user at a terminal, comprising the steps of:

detecting an access by the user to a new web site having a URL;

determining a first time interval between the detected access to the new web site and a detected access to a previous web site;

sending said first time interval and said URL to a predefined Internet address;

determining a second time interval which indicates a period of time during which the user actively accessed said previous web site;

said step of sending further including the step of transmitting said second time interval to said predefined Internet address;

receiving user registration information;

storing said user registration information at said terminal;

said step of sending further including the step of transmitting at least some of said user registration information to said predefined Internet address;

compiling the user registration information in a central server;

storing the user registration information in real time memory in said central server;

querying the central server to determine whether other users are currently viewing at least one of a same web page and web site; and

providing a number and profile of the other users, if the other users are currently viewing at least one of the same web page and web site.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

querying the central server to identify prospective chat targets.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

requiring the user to enter additional information; and

querying the central server to identify prospective chat targets.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

utilizing the additional information to build user profiles and identify one of compatible and selected chat targets; and

during chat initiation, presenting the additional information to contacted users to provide information regarding an initiating user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the additional information is at least one of areas of interest and profession.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

generating a list of web pages which are related to the web page which the user is presently viewing; and

presenting the list of related web pages to the user.

18. A method for monitoring Internet usage by a user at a terminal, comprising the steps of:

detecting an access by the user to a new web site having a URL;

determining a first time interval between the detected access to the new web site and a detected access to a previous web site;

sending said first time interval and said URL to a predefined Internet address;

determining a second time interval which indicates a period of time during which the user actively accessed said previous web site;

said step of sending further including the step of transmitting said second time interval to said predefined Internet address;

receiving user registration information;

storing said user registration information at said terminal;

said step of sending further including the step of transmitting at least some of said user registration information to said predefined Internet address;

compiling the user registration information in a central server;

storing the user registration information in real time memory in said central server;

initiating a search for others users by executing a dynamic search based on demographic search parameters;

identifying only users which match the demographic search parameters; and

communicating with the other users which match the demographic search parameters.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

processing demographic search parameters of matching users to generate usage profiles of the web site and web page based on biographical information of the matching users.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

providing the usage profiles to third parties.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the third parties are one of advertisers, users and site owners and operators.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the usage profiles include a number, a time, an active duration and profiles of users who have visited at least one of the web site and web page.

23. A method for determining Internet usage information from a plurality of Internet users, comprising the steps of:

receiving Internet usage messages from said plurality of users containing usage data indicating a new URL and timing information indicating a duration of access to a prior URL, receipt of each of said messages indicating that a particular user has accessed said new URL;

logging said usage data in a database;

analyzing said logged usage data to generate said Internet usage information;

providing a user software program to augment each said user'"'"'s Internet, browser, said software configured to continuously;

detect an access by the user to a new web site;

determine a first time interval between the detected access to the new web site and a detected access to a previous web site, said previous web site having a URL;

sending usage messages including said first time interval and said URL to said central server;

each of said users having a user profile and a unique ID;

said usage data further including the ID associated with each of said users; and

said analyzing step comprises the step of identifying web pages which are popular with users having a profile matching particular characteristics.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said analyzing step is performed in response to a user request including said particular characteristics.

25. The method of claim 23, comprising the steps of:

querying the database to determine whether the plurality of users are currently viewing at least one of a same web page and web site; and

providing a number and profile of the plurality of users, if the plurality of users are currently viewing at least one of the same web page and web site.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

upon each user entering at least one of the new web page and web site, automatically providing to said user information regarding other users which access at least one of a same web page and web site as the user.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:

each user communicating with at least one other user which is accessing at least one of the same web page and web site.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:

initiating a real-time chat with at least one other site visitor.