Techniques for monitoring user activities at a web site and for initiating an action when the user exits from the web site

• US 6,892,347 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2000
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Customersat.Com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Customersat.Com, Inc.
• Inventors: Chisholm, John D., Williams, Scott L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Sanjiv
• Application Number:
  US09/662,858
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 715/513, 705/14, 705/10, 712/227
• US Class Current: 715/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Techniques for monitoring user activities at a web site and for initiating an action when it is determined that the user has exited the web site. In response to a user accessing a web page stored by a web site, an embodiment of the present invention periodically monitors the user'"'"'s activities at the web site and checks if the user has exited the web site. At least one action is initiated when it is determined that the user has exited from the web site. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the actions comprise displaying a form to the user. Actions initiated by an embodiment of the present invention may be customized based upon user information and information about the user'"'"'s activities at the web site.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of initiating an action upon exit from a web site, the method comprising:

accessing the web site using a first browser executing on a user system;

upon accessing the web site, performing processing at the user system to periodically monitor if the first browser has exited the web site; and

initiating the action upon determining that the first browser has exited the web site, wherein initiating the action comprises;

communicating a message from the user system to a server upon determining that the first browser is not accessing the web site;

receiving a form at the user system from the server in response to the message; and

outputting the form via the user system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the message includes information related to a user of the first browser and information related to one or more activities performed by the user at the web site; and

the form received at the user system from the server is personalized for the user based upon the information related to the user and one or more activities included in the message.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing the web site comprises accessing a first web page stored by the web site using the first browser.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein performing processing at the user system comprises:

opening a second browser on the user system;

loading a second web page from the web site into the second browser; and

initiating a timer on the user system, the timer configured to generate a signal at periodic time intervals.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the second browser is minimized.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

monitoring, when a signal is generated by the timer, one or more user activities performed by a user of the first browser at the web site; and

determining, when a signal is generated by the timer, if the first browser has exited the webite.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein monitoring the one or more user activities comprises:

collecting information related to the user; and

collecting information related to one or more activities performed by the user at the web site.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the form received at the user system is based upon the information related to the user and the information related to the one or more activities performed by the user at the web site.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein determining if the first browser has exited the web site comprises:

obtaining a reference to the first browser'"'"'s window;

inspecting an attribute of the first browser window using the reference to the first browser'"'"'s window; and

determining if an error occurred due to inspecting the attribute, the occurrence of the error indicating that the first browser has exited the web site.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the attribute is a name attribute.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein determining if the first browser has exited the web site comprises:

obtaining a reference to the first browser'"'"'s window;

inspecting a name variable of the first browser window using the reference to the first browser'"'"'s window; and

determining if an exception occurred due to inspecting the name variable, the occurrence of the exception indicating that the first browser has exited the web site.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

if no exception occurred due to inspecting the name variable;

inspecting a document domain attribute of the first browser window using the reference to the first browser'"'"'s window; and

determining if an exception occurred due to inspecting the document domain attribute, the occurrence of the exception indicating that the first browser has exited the web site.

13. A computer-implemented method of initiating an action upon exit from a web site, the method comprising:

accessing the web site by accessing a first web page stored by the web site using a first browser;

opening a second browser;

loading a second web page from the web site into the second browser;

initiating a timer configured to periodically generate a signal after a time period;

collecting, in response to a signal generated by the timer, information related to a user of the first browser and the user'"'"'s one or more activities at the web site; and

determining, in response to a signal generated by the timer, if the first browser has exited the web site; and

initiating the action upon determining that the first browser has exited the web site, wherein initiating the action comprises;

communicating the information related to the user and one or more activities performed by the user at the web site to a server;

receiving a form from the server, the form generated by the server based upon the information related to the user and the user'"'"'s one or more activities at the web site; and

displaying the form to the use.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein determining if the first browser has exited the web site comprises:

obtaining a reference to the first browser'"'"'s window;

inspecting an attribute of the first browser window using the reference to the first browser'"'"'s window; and

determining if an error occurred due to inspecting the attribute, the occurrence of the error indicating that the first browser has exited the web site.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the attribute is a name attribute.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein determining if the first browser has exited the web site comprises:

obtaining a reference to the first browser'"'"'s window;

inspecting a name variable of the first browser window using the reference to the first browser'"'"'s window; and

determining if an exception occurred due to inspecting the name variable, the occurrence of the exception indicating that the first browser has exited the web site.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

if no exception occurred due to inspecting the name variable;

inspecting a document domain attribute of the first browser window using the reference to the first browser'"'"'s window; and

determining if an exception occurred due to inspecting the document domain attribute, the occurrence of the exception indicating that the first browser has exited the web site.

18. A computer-implemented method of performing an action upon exit from a first web site, the method comprising:

accessing the first web site by accessing a first web page stored by the first web site using a first browser;

outputting the first web page via the first browser;

upon outputting the first web page, performing processing to periodically monitor if the first browser has exited the first web site; and

performing the action upon determining that the first browser has exited the first web site, wherein performing the action comprises;

communicating a message to a server;

receiving a form from the server in response to the message; and

outputting the form via the first browser.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein performing the processing comprises:

opening a second browser;

loading a second web page from the first web site into the second browser;

executing a timer configured to generate a signal at periodic intervals; and

inspecting, in response to the signal periodically generated by the timer, an attribute of the web page displayed in the first browser to determine if the first browser has exited the first web site.

20. A system for performing an action upon exit from a first web site, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store a plurality of code modules for execution by the processor, the plurality of code modules comprising;

a code module for accessing the first web site by accessing a first web page stored by the first web site using a first browser;

a code module for outputting the first web page via the first browser;

upon outputting the first web page, a code module for performing processing to monitor if the first browser has exited the first web site; and

a code module for performing the action upon determining that the first browser has exited the first web site, wherein the code module for performing the action comprises;

a code module for communicating a message to a server upon determining that the first browser has exited the first web site;

a code module for receiving a form from the server in response to the message; and

a code module for outputting the form via the first browser.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the code module for performing processing to monitor if the first browser has exited the first web site comprises:

a code module for opening a second browser;

a code module for loading a second web page from the first web site into the second browser;

a code module for executing a timer configured to generate a signal at periodic intervals; and

a code module for inspecting, in response to the signal periodically generated by the timer, an attribute of the web page displayed in the first browser to determine if the first browser has exited the first web site.

22. A network system for initiating an action when a user exits a web site, the system comprising:

a communication network;

a plurality of web servers coupled to the communication network, the plurality of web servers including a first web server configured to host the web site; and

a user system coupled to the communication network;

wherein the user system accesses the web site by accessing a first web page stored by the web site using a first browser executing on the user system;

wherein the user system, upon accessing the web-site, is configured to perform processing to periodically monitor if the first browser has exited the web site; and

wherein the user system is configured to initiate the action upon determining that the first browser has exited the web site, wherein the user system is configured to initiate the action by;

communicating a message to a second server upon determining that the first browser has exited the web site; and

receiving a form generated by the second server; and

displaying the form to the user.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the user system is configured to determine if the first browser has exited the web site by:

opening a second browser on the user system;

loading a second web page from the web site into the second browser; and

initiating a timer which is configured to generate a signal at periodic time intervals;

collecting, when a signal is generated by the timer, information related to a user of the user system and information about one or more activities performed by the user at the web site; and

determining, when a signal is generated by the timer, if the first browser has exited the web site.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein determining if the first browser has exited the web site comprises:

obtaining a reference to the first browser'"'"'s window;

inspecting an attribute of the first browser window using the reference to the first browser'"'"'s window; and

determining if an error occurred due to inspecting the attribute, the occurrence of the error indicating that the first browser has exited the web site.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the attribute is a name attribute.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein determining if the first browser has exited the web site comprises:

obtaining a reference to the first browser'"'"'s window;

inspecting a name variable of the first browser window using the reference to the first browser'"'"'s window; and

determining if an exception occurred due to inspecting the name variable, the occurrence of the exception indicating that the first browser has exited the web site.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein determining if the first browser has exited the web site further comprises:

inspecting a document domain attribute of the first browser window using the reference to the first browser'"'"'s window; and

determining if an exception occurred due to inspecting the document domain attribute, the occurrence of the exception indicating that the first browser has exited the web site.

28. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

communicating the information related to the user and information about the one or more user activities at the web site to the second server, and

wherein the form is generated by the second server based upon the information related to the user and information about the one or more user activities.

29. A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage medium for performing an action upon exit from a first web site, the computer program product comprising:

code for accessing the first web site by accessing a first web page stored by the first web site using a first browser;

code for outputting the first web page via the first browser;

upon outputting the first web page, code for performing processing to periodically monitor if the first browser has exited the first web site; and

code for performing the action upon determining that the first browser has exited the first web site, wherein the code for performing the action comprises;

code for communicating a message to a server upon determining that the first browser has exited from the first web site;

code for receiving a form from the server in response to the message; and

code for outputting the form via the first browser.

30. The computer program product of claim 29 wherein the code for performing the processing comprises:

code for opening a second browser;

code for loading a second web page from the first web site into the second browser;

code for executing a timer configured to generate a signal at periodic intervals; and

code for inspecting, in response to the signal periodically generated by the timer, an attribute of the web page displayed in the first browser to determine if the first browser has exited the first web site.

31. A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage medium for initiating an action upon exit from a web site, the computer program product comprising:

code for accessing the web site by accessing a first web page stored by the web site using a first browser;

code for opening a second browser;

code for loading a second web page from the web site into the second browser;

code for initiating a timer configured to periodically generate a signal after a time period;

code for determining, in response to the signal periodically generated by the timer, if the first browser has exited the web site; and

code for initiating the action upon determining that the first browser has exited the web site, wherein the code for initiating the action comprises;

code for communicating a message to a server upon determining that the first browser has exited the web site;

code for receiving a form from the server; and

code for displaying the form to the user.

32. The computer program product of claim 31 wherein the code for determining if the first browser has exited the web site comprises:

code for obtaining a reference to the first browser'"'"'s window;

code for inspecting an attribute of the first browser window using the reference to the first browser'"'"'s window; and

code for determining if an error occurred due to inspecting the attribute, the occurrence of the error indicating that the first browser has exited the web site.

33. The computer program product of claim 32 wherein the attribute is a name attribute.

34. The computer program product of claim 31 wherein the code for determining if the first browser has exited the web site comprises:

code for obtaining a reference to the first browser'"'"'s window;

code for inspecting a name variable of the first browser window using the reference to the first browser'"'"'s window; and

code for determining if an exception occurred due to inspecting the name variable, the occurrence of the exception indicating that the first browser has exited the web site.

35. The computer program product of claim 34 further comprising:

code for inspecting a document domain attribute of the first browser window using the reference to the first browser'"'"'s window if no exception occurred due to inspecting the name variable; and

code for determining if an exception occurred due to inspecting the document domain attribute, the occurrence of the exception indicating that the first browser has exited the web site.

36. The computer program product of claim 31 further comprising:

code for collecting, in response to the signal periodically generated by the timer, information related to a user of the first browser and the user'"'"'s one or more activities at the web site;

code for communicating the information related to the user and the user'"'"'s one or more activities at the web site to the server;

wherein the form received from the server is generated based upon the information related to the user and the user'"'"'s one or more activities at the web site.

37. A computer-implemented method of initiating an action upon exit from a web site, the method comprising:

connecting to a web site using a first browser executing on a user system;

subsequent to connecting to the web site, performing processing at the user system to determine if the first browser is connected to the web site;

communicating a message from the user system to a server upon determining that the first browser is no longer connected to the web site;

receiving an electronic document at the user system from the server in response to the message; and

outputting the electronic document via the user system.