System and method for developing and interpreting e-commerce metrics by utilizing a list of rules wherein each rule contain at least one of entity-specific criteria

• US 7,013,323 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2000
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZeroFOX, Inc. (ZeroFox Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cyveillance, Inc. (ZeroFox Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Biro, Ross A., Bildner, Mark J., Pemberton, Alissa S., Young, Christopher D., Moore, Richard P., Thomas, Jason B., Thomas, Brandy M., Perlman, Diane B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Oanh
• Application Number:
  US09/576,896
• Time in Patent Office: 2,121 Days
• Field of Search: 709/218, 709/223, 709/224, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 707/1, 707 3- 7, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for developing and interpreting e-commerce metrics is disclosed. The method involves collecting pages that are commonly transmitted over a computer network (e.g., the Internet, an institutional intranet, etc.), where the pages are relevant to the business operations of an entity, collecting external data, which may or may not be available on the computer network, but that is highly relevant to the entity, processing the collected pages with additional information such as contact information, routing tables, financial information, and other data which does not need to be collected more than once, and scoring the pages based on all the information collected to determine statistics. The statistics are analyzed for business information which may be important to the operations of the entity. The method then produces a report to deliver a continuous stream of e-commerce intelligence for the entity.

Claims

1. A method for developing and interpreting e-commerce metrics of an entity, comprising the steps of:

(1) collecting pages that are commonly transmitted over a computer network;

(2) receiving a list of predetermined, entity-specific criteria defining information relevant to the entity;

(3) receiving a first set of rules related to entity-specific criteria defining information relevant to an entity;

(4) determining whether each of said pages satisfies each of said first set of rules therefore obtaining a first subset of said pages;

(5) parsing content of said first subset of said pages using a second set of rules inclusive of said first set and adding rules related to searching for at least one key word in at least one predetermined category of key words, thereby obtaining a second subset of said pages;

(6) scoring said second subset of said pages utilizing a third set of rules incorporating analyzed statistics based on said first and said second set of rules and incorporating additional information; and

(7) generating a report utilizing a fourth set of rules prioritizing results of said second and third set of rules, including said analyzed statistics and said additional information;

such that said report is utilized to aid an entity in doing business over said computer network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said computer network is the global Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said computer network is an intranet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said computer network is an extranet.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

(8) obtaining contact information for said report.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of:

(8) generating said report listing scores.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step 6 comprises the steps of:

(a) compiling statistics from said second subset of said pages;

(b) storing said statistics; and

(c) analyzing said statistics by combining said statistics, said second subset of said pages and said additional information.

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

performing step (a)–

(c) for a plurality of entities.

9. A system for developing and interpreting e-commerce metrics of an entity, comprising:

a downloader for searching a computer network, wherein said computer network contains pages;

a page processing module for receiving said pages downloaded from said search of said computer network, said page processing module utilizing a first set of rules related to entity-specific criteria defining information relevant to an entity and forming a first subset of pages;

an archive for storing said first subset of said pages, said pages being downloaded to said archive by said page processing module; and

a database for allowing said page processing module to perform queries of said pages from said first subset of said pages, stored on said archive, in order to produce a report, said report comprising;

parsed content of said pages generated utilizing a second set of rules inclusive of said first set and adding rules related to searching for at least one key word, whereby the parsed content is parsed with at least one predetermined category;

scored pages generated utilizing a third set of rules incorporating analyzed statistics based on said first and said second set of rules and incorporating additional information; and

pages prioritized utilizing a fourth set of rules prioritizing contents of said report utilizing results of said second and said third set of rules including said analyzed statistics and said additional information;

such that said report is utilized to aid an entity in doing business over said computer network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said computer network is the global Internet.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said computer network is an intranet.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said computer network is an extranet.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of Web clients that provides a graphical user interface for a user to enter search criteria and communicate with said downloader, thereby controlling said page processing module.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing an application program to execute on a computer that develops and interprets e-commerce metrics of an entity, said computer readable program code means comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to collect pages that are commonly transmitted over a computer network;

second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a first set of rules related to entity specific criteria defining information relevant to the entity;

third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to determine whether each of said pages satisfies each of said first set of rules therefore obtaining a first subset of said pages,

fourth computer readable program code means for parsing content of said first subset of said pages using a second set of rules inclusive of the first set and adding rules related to searching for at least one key word in at least one predetermined category of key words, thereby obtaining a second subset of said pages;

fifth computer readable program code means for scoring said second subset of said pages utilizing a third set of rules incorporating analyzed statistics based on the first and the second set of rules and incorporating additional information; and

sixth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to generate a report utilizing a fourth set of rules;

contents of the report utilizing results of the second and third set of rules including the analyzed statistics and said additional information;

such that said report is utilized to aid an entity in doing business over said computer network.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said computer network is the global Internet.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to obtain contact information for said report.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to generate said report listing said scores of said subset of pages.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said fifth computer readable program code means comprises:

seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to compile statistics from said pages;

eighth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to store said statistics; and

ninth computer readable program code means for causing computer to analyze said statistics by combining said statistics, said pages and said additional information.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising tenth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to perform the seventh, eighth, and ninth computer readable program code for a plurality of entities.