Method for extracting personalization information from web activity
First Claim
1. The method of gathering and storing in a relational database selected content extracted from inbound HTTP request messages sent to a Web server from remotely located Web browsers via the Internet, and further storing in said relational database selected content extracted from outbound HTTP response messages sent from said Web server to said remotely located Web browsers, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a gateway server coupled to said relational database and interposed in the communications pathway between said Web server and the Internet and utilizing said gateway server to perform the steps of;
receiving each of said inbound request messages from one of said Web browsers and forwarding each of said inbound request messages to said Web server, extracting a first selected set of data contained in predetermined request data fields in each of said inbound request messages and storing said first set of data in corresponding addressable request data storage locations in said relational database, said request data storage locations being defined by schema for said relational database, receiving each of said outbound response messages from said Web server and forwarding each such outbound response message to one of said Web browsers, extracting a second selected set of data contained in predetermined response data fields in each or said outbound response messages and storing said second set of data in corresponding addressable response data storage locations defined by a schema for said relational database, whereby said relational database is populated with information which describes the past use of said server.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An Internet gateway server for dynamically loading a database with data extracted from selected header fields and the body of inbound and outbound HTTP messages exchanged between one or more servers and the Web browsers which connect with those servers. The gateway server or “WebJacket” is interposed in the communications pathway between the server(s) and client(s) receiving each of inbound messages from a client and forwarding the received inbound messages to the server(s). The WebJacket extracts a first selected set of data contained in predetermined ones of said inbound messages and storing this incoming message data in predetermined locations in a relational database. The WebJacket further receives, stores and forwards each outbound message from the server(s) and extracts a second selected set of data from the outbound messages. To speed performance, the WebJacket uses multithreaded processes to forward each message to its destination before or while the content of that message is being posted into the database. The specific information to be saved from each message, and the database location where it is to reside, is specified by configuration data accepted from a user in advance of handling the messages. When the message content is not sufficient to uniquely each client that initiated a given request/response exchange, client identification data in inserted into the outbound message in a “set-cookie” header instruction so that all messages to or from a given client may thereafter be identified. The configuration data identifies messages which already include cookie data which is adequate to identify the client.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. The method of gathering and storing in a relational database selected content extracted from inbound HTTP request messages sent to a Web server from remotely located Web browsers via the Internet, and further storing in said relational database selected content extracted from outbound HTTP response messages sent from said Web server to said remotely located Web browsers, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a gateway server coupled to said relational database and interposed in the communications pathway between said Web server and the Internet and utilizing said gateway server to perform the steps of;
receiving each of said inbound request messages from one of said Web browsers and forwarding each of said inbound request messages to said Web server, extracting a first selected set of data contained in predetermined request data fields in each of said inbound request messages and storing said first set of data in corresponding addressable request data storage locations in said relational database, said request data storage locations being defined by schema for said relational database, receiving each of said outbound response messages from said Web server and forwarding each such outbound response message to one of said Web browsers, extracting a second selected set of data contained in predetermined response data fields in each or said outbound response messages and storing said second set of data in corresponding addressable response data storage locations defined by a schema for said relational database, whereby said relational database is populated with information which describes the past use of said server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for transferring data to a relational database from HTTP request and response messages exchanged via the Internet comprising, in combination:
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A Web server connected to the Internet for receiving HTTP request messages via the Internet and returning HTTP response messages via the Internet, a Web browser connected to the Internet for sending HTTP request messages to said Web server via the Internet and for receiving HTTP response messages from said Web server via the Internet, each of said HTTP request messages and each of said HTTP response messages including a plurality of named fields containing data; and
a gateway server for transferring data from said request and response messages to said relational database, said gateway server being connected to relay said HTTP request messages from said Web browser to said Web server without changing their content and further being connected to relay said HTTP response messages from said Web server back to said Web browser, said gateway server including means for extracting field data from said named fields of said HTTP request and response messages and posting said field data into corresponding storage locations designated to receive said field data extracted from said named fields, said corresponding storage locations being defined by a schema for said relational database. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification