System, method and computer program product for collecting information about a network user

• US 7,149,704 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2002
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Claria Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, Anthony G., Veteska, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US10/056,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20030018778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/206, 709/223, 709218-219, 709224-226, 709/231, 705/1, 705/10, 705/14, 705/26, 725/42, 725/44
• US Class Current: 705/7.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are disclosed for collecting information about a user. A set of one or more rules for collecting information is obtained by a first application on a client. The first application is utilized to monitor a second application on the client in communication with the network for information that satisfies one or more rules of the set of rules. The second application is utilized by a user to access sites coupled to the network. Information that that satisfies one or more rules of the set of rules is collected from the second application utilizing the first application. At least a portion of the collected information is stored on the client utilizing the first application. Content is received via the network for presentment by the first application based on the portion of the collected information stored on the client.

Claims

1. A method for collecting information about a user, comprising:

obtaining a set of one or more rules for collecting information by a first application residing on a client, wherein the first set of rules is obtained in response to a request that includes an identifier associated with the client and information related to rules previously received by the client;

utilizing the first application to monitor a second application on the client in communication with the network for information that satisfies one or more rules of the set of rules, wherein the second application is utilized by a user to access sites coupled to the network;

collecting information that satisfies one or more rules of the set of rules from the second application utilizing the first application;

storing at least a portion of the collected information on the client utilizing the first application;

receiving content via the network for presentment by the first application based on the portion of the collected information stored on the client, wherein prior to receiving the content, a table at the client is accessed to determine whether at least a portion of the content is available locally to the client; and

updating the set of one or more rules based on the collected information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected information includes behavioral information about the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the rules includes a trigger, wherein the collected information trips the trigger, and wherein a notification is transmitted to a location via the network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of one or more rules is obtained utilizing the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content includes one or more additional rules for controlling the presentment of the content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the collected information is transmitted to a location utilizing the network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the information transmitted to the location includes an identifier, and wherein at least a portion of the received content is based on the identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second application is a browser application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected information includes information relating to a time at which the second application is utilized to access at least one site coupled to the network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein time information is utilized to determine an order of priority by which the content is presented.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the table comprises a hash table having a hash representing a network site and an indicia of an amount of available content associated with the network site.

12. A computer program product for collecting information about a user, comprising:

a client computer, in operative communication with a computer network;

a set of computer programs, stored on computer-readable media accessible by the client computer, including

computer code that obtains a set of one or more rules for collecting information by a first application residing on a client, wherein the set of rules is obtained in response to a request that includes an identifier associated with the client and information related to rules previously received by the client;

computer code that utilizes the first application to monitor a second application on the client in communication with a network for information that satisfies one or more rules of the set of rules, wherein the second application is utilized by a user to access sites coupled to the network;

computer code that collects information that satisfies one or more rules of the set of rules from the second application utilizing the first application;

computer code that stores at least a portion of the collected information on the client utilizing the first application;

computer code that receives content via the network for presentment by the first application based on the portion of the collected information stored on the client, wherein prior to receiving the content, a table at the client is accessed to determine whether at least a portion of the content is available locally to the client; and

computer code that updates the set of one or more rules based on the collected information.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the collected information includes behavioral information about the user.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein at least one of the rules includes a trigger, wherein the collected information trips the trigger, and wherein a notification is transmitted to a location via the network.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the set of one or more rules is obtained utilizing the network.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the content includes one or more additional rules for controlling the presentment of the content.

17. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the collected information is transmitted to a location utilizing the network.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the information transmitted to the location includes an identifier, and wherein at least a portion of the received content is based on the identifier.

19. A method for collecting information about a user, comprising:

obtaining a set of one or more rules for collecting information by a first application residing on a client, wherein the set of rules is obtained in response to a request that includes an identifier associated with the client and information related to rules previously received by the client;

utilizing the first application to monitor a second application on the client in communication with a network for information that satisfies one or more rules of the set of rules, wherein the second application is utilized by a user to access sites coupled to the network;

collecting information that satisfies one or more rules of the set of rules from the second application utilizing the first application, wherein the collected information includes behavioral information about the user, wherein the set of one or more rules is updated based on the collected information;

storing at least a portion of the collected information on the client utilizing the first application;

transmitting information relating to the collected information to a location utilizing the network, wherein the information transmitted to the location includes an identifier; and

receiving content via the network for presentment by the first application based on the portion of the collected information stored on the client, wherein the content includes one or more additional rules for controlling the presentment of the content, and wherein at least a portion of the received content is based on the identifier, the rules for controlling the presentment of the content including content priority information for use in determining whether to present the content before other pre-generated content, wherein prior to receiving the content, a table at the client is accessed to determine whether at least a portion of the content is available locally to the client.

20. A system for collecting information about a user, comprising:

a client computer, including

peripheral user interface devices, including a monitor, and at least one of a mouse and a keyboard;

communication means, in operative communication with a computer network;

web engine means, operatively engaged with the communication means to seek and retrieve information from the network and to display the same to a user;

data storage means for storing selected data;

message client application means, including

retriever module means, for requesting and receiving messages utilizing the communication means, such messages including display rules and content, and utilizing the data storage means for storing such messages;

context watcher means for monitoring information retrieved by the web engine means;

tracking and collecting user actions as reflected on the user interface devices;

storing information regarding such context and actions in the data storage means; and

comparing context and action information with stored rules;

displayer means for displaying content responsive to the rules, such content being received via the network or, if available locally, from content stored on the data storage means;

update means for updating the rules.