Tracking hits for network files using transmitted counter instructions
First Claim
1. A method of tracking hits for a network file comprising the steps of:
- receiving a request for said network file from a requesting device, said receiving occurring at a proxy having cache memory to service said request when said cache memory includes a cached copy of said network file, said proxy being configured to forward said request to an originating server when said cache memory is without said cached copy;
sending said network file to said requesting device in response to said request, said network file including an instruction to transmit an indicator subsequent to said requesting device receiving said network file, said instruction being embedded within said network file such that said instruction is transparent to an end-user at said requesting device;
transmitting said indicator from said requesting device as an automated response to executing said instruction as a direct consequence of receiving said network file, said indicator being a count-inducing message that is specific to said network file; and
processing said indicator at a location to which said indicator is transmitted to track said hits for said network file, including counting said indicator at said location for updating a tally of said hits for said network file, said tally thereby being representative of both sending said network file from said proxy and sending said network file from said originating server.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for tracking hits of a requested network file includes embedding an instruction within the file that directs the requesting device to transmit an indicator to a processor for counting subsequent to the requesting device receiving the requested file. The request for the network file is made by a requesting device (e.g., client of an end-user) and may be made over the Internet. The instruction is executed by a Web browser at the requesting device. The instruction is embedded within the Internet file, so that if the file is cached by a proxy server, the instruction is also cached. Thus, the instruction will reach the end-user regardless of whether the file is downloaded from the proxy server or from an originating server. When the file reaches the end-user, the instruction triggers the transmission of the indicator that is send to the processor for counting.
56 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of tracking hits for a network file comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request for said network file from a requesting device, said receiving occurring at a proxy having cache memory to service said request when said cache memory includes a cached copy of said network file, said proxy being configured to forward said request to an originating server when said cache memory is without said cached copy; sending said network file to said requesting device in response to said request, said network file including an instruction to transmit an indicator subsequent to said requesting device receiving said network file, said instruction being embedded within said network file such that said instruction is transparent to an end-user at said requesting device; transmitting said indicator from said requesting device as an automated response to executing said instruction as a direct consequence of receiving said network file, said indicator being a count-inducing message that is specific to said network file; and processing said indicator at a location to which said indicator is transmitted to track said hits for said network file, including counting said indicator at said location for updating a tally of said hits for said network file, said tally thereby being representative of both sending said network file from said proxy and sending said network file from said originating server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of counting a number of accesses for cachable documents comprising the steps of:
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embedding executable code in each of a plurality of said cachable documents, said executable code including an instruction triggering user-transparent transmissions of count-inducing messages from client devices, each said count-inducing message being specific to and indicative of a particular said cachable document; sending said cachable documents to said client devices in response to requests for said cachable documents received from any one of a plurality of said client devices, said sending being from originating servers and from Web proxies; receiving said count-inducing messages transmitted from said client devices as immediate and direct responses to execution of said executable code upon reception of said cachable documents; and counting said accesses on a basis of counting receptions of said count-inducing messages, said counting thereby updating a tally of said accesses by said plurality of client devices. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for tracking hits over the Internet comprising:
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a proxy Web server having a store of a plurality of network files, at least some of said network files being cached copies of Internet files, each of said network files having a command to initiate a transmission of an identifier from any of a plurality of client devices as an automated response to reception of one of said network files by said-client devices; programming accessible via each said client device, said programming being configured to request said network files as responses to inputs from users of said client devices and to transmit said identifier in a process that is transparent to said users upon reception of one of said network files at said client device, said identifier being a count-inducing message; and a file access counter responsive to receiving said identifiers from client devices as a basis for counting transfers of said network files to said client devices, said file access counter being configured such that reception of each said identifier is counted and used to update a tally of said transfers of said network files to said plurality of client devices. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification