Web usage overlays for third-party web plug-in content

• US 7,584,435 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omniture Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Bailey, Michael Paul, Error, Brett M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ke; Simon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stitt; Erik V
• Application Number:
  US11/341,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20060123340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781, 715/764, 715/788, 715/810, 715/815, 707/102
• US Class Current: 715/788
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Overlay reports showing user interaction with web plug-in content are generated. Dimensions of elements within plug-in resources are determined by moving the elements to various locations with an output region and noting changes in overall dimensions of the output region. Once dimensions have been determined, overlay reports are generated including color-coded regions depicting relative levels of interaction.

Claims

1. A method for using a processor for determining existing dimensions of an element being displayed at an original position within a plug-in resource having a rectangular output region, the element having an origin point, the method comprising:

moving the element so that its origin point is at a first corner of the output region;

measuring a first increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

measuring a first increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

moving the element so that its origin point is at a second corner of the output region, the second corner being diagonally opposite the first corner;

measuring a second increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

measuring a second increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

determining an existing horizontal dimension of the element as equal to the sum of the first and second measured increases in the horizontal dimension of the output region;

determining an existing vertical dimension of the element as equal to the sum of the first and second measured increases in the vertical dimension of the output region; and

subsequently to measuring the increases in the horizontal and vertical dimensions, restoring the element to its original position within the output region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the element comprises a button.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the element comprises a user-activatable region within the output region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the origin point is not located at the center of the element.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plug-in resource comprises an application and the rectangular output region comprises an area within a web page.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plug-in resource comprises a content item for an application and the rectangular output region comprises an area within a web page.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plug-in resource comprises an interactive video item.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plug-in resource comprises video content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein moving, measuring, determining, and restoring steps are performed responsive to receiving user input activating the element.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting the determined dimensions of the element.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating and outputting a usage display using the determined dimensions of the element.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a message including the determined dimensions of the element to a software component.

37. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a report indicating usage statistics for at least one element of the plug-in report by superimposing at least one visual indicator quantifying user activations of a corresponding element, wherein the visual indicator has a size based on the determined horizontal and vertical dimensions of the element.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein each visual indicator is color-coded.

4. A method for using a processor for determining existing dimensions of an element being displayed at an original position within a plug-in resource having a rectangular output region, the element having an origin point located at the center of the element, the method comprising:

moving the element so that its origin point is at a corner of the output region;

measuring an increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

measuring an increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

determining an existing horizontal dimension of the element as equal to twice the measured increase in the horizontal dimension of the output region;

determining an existing vertical dimension of the element as equal to twice the measured increase in the vertical dimension of the output region; and

subsequently to measuring the increases in the horizontal and vertical dimensions, restoring the element to its original position within the output region.

14. A computer program product for determining existing dimensions of an element being displayed at an original position within a plug-in resource having a rectangular output region, the element having an origin point, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium; and

computer-readable instructions, encoded on the computer-readable storage medium, for causing a processor to;

move the element so that its origin point is at a first corner of the output region;

measure a first increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

measure a first increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

move the element so that its origin point is at a second corner of the output region, the second corner being diagonally opposite the first corner;

measure a second increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

measure a second increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

determine an existing horizontal dimension of the element as equal to the sum of the first and second measured in creases in the horizontal dimension of the output region;

determine an existing vertical dimension of the element as equal to the sum of the first and second measured increases in the vertical dimension of the output region; and

subsequently to measuring the increases in the horizontal and vertical dimensions, restore the element to its original position within the output region.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the element comprises a button.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the element comprises a user-activatable region within the output region.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the origin point is not located at the center of the element.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the plug-in resource comprises an application and the rectangular output region comprises an area within a web page.

20. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the plug-in resource comprises a content item for an application and the rectangular output region comprises an area within a web page.

21. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the plug-in resource comprises an interactive video item.

22. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the plug-in resource comprises video content.

23. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer-readable instructions for causing a processor to move, measure, determine, and restore operate responsive to receiving user input activating the element.

24. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer-readable instructions for causing a processor to output the determined dimensions of the element.

25. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer-readable instructions for causing a processor to generate and output a usage display using the determined dimensions of the element.

26. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer-readable instructions for causing a processor to send a message including the determined dimensions of the element to a software component.

39. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer-readable instructions for causing a processor to:

generate a report indicating usage statistics for at least one element of the plug-in report by superimposing at least one visual indicator quantifying user activations of a corresponding element, wherein the visual indicator has a size based on the determined horizontal and vertical dimensions of the element.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein each visual indicator is color-coded.

17. A computer program product for determining existing dimensions of an element being displayed at an original position within a plug-in resource having a rectangular output region, the element having an origin point located at the center of the element, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium; and

computer-readable instructions, encoded on the computer-readable storage medium, for causing a processor to;

move the element so that its origin point is at a corner of the output region;

measure an increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

measure an increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

determine an existing horizontal dimension of the element as equal to twice the measured first increase in the horizontal dimension of the output region;

determine an existing vertical dimension of the element as equal to twice the measured first increase in the vertical dimension of the output;

region; and

subsequently to measuring the increases in the horizontal and vertical dimensions, restore the element to its original position within the output region.

27. A system for determining existing dimensions of an element being displayed at an original position within a plug-in resource having a rectangular output region, the element having an origin point, the system comprising:

a content server, comprising a processor for receiving a web page request and for providing, to a client machine, modified plug-in content, the modified plug-in content comprising code for determining dimensions of an element within a plug-in resource by;

moving the element so that its origin point is at a first corner of the output region;

measuring a first increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

measuring a first increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

moving the element so that its origin point is at a second corner of the output region, the second corner being diagonally opposite the first corner;

measuring a second increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

measuring a second increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

determining an existing horizontal dimension of the element as equal to the sum of the first and second measured increases in the horizontal dimension of the output region;

determining an existing vertical dimension of the element as equal to the sum of the first and second measured increases in the vertical dimension of the output region; and

subsequently to measuring the increases in the horizontal and vertical dimensions, restoring the element to its original position within the output region;

a data collection server for receiving usage data with respect to the plug-in content;

an analysis module for analyzing the received usage data; and

a report generator for generating at least one overlay report based on the analyzed usage data.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the element comprises a button.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the element comprises a user-activatable region within the output region.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the plug-in resource comprises an application and the rectangular output region comprises an area within a web page.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the plug-in resource comprises a content item for an application and the rectangular output region comprises an area within a web page.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the plug-in resource comprises an interactive video item.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the plug-in resource comprises video content.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the code causes the moving, measuring, determining, and restoring steps to be performed responsive to receiving user input activating the element.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the overlay report comprises a usage display using the determined dimensions of the element.

41. The system of claim 27, wherein the report generator generates at least one overlay report indicating usage statistics for at least one element of the plug-in report by superimposing at least one visual indicator quantifying user activations of a corresponding element, wherein the visual indicator has a size based on the determined horizontal and vertical dimensions of the element.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein each visual indicator is color-coded.

36. A system for determining existing dimensions of an element being displayed at an original position within a plug-in resource having a rectangular output region, the element having an origin point, the system comprising:

a content server, comprising a processor for receiving a web page request and for providing, to a client machine, modified plug-in content the modified plug-in content comprising code for determining dimensions of an element within a plug-in resource by;

moving the element so that its origin point is at a corner of the output region;

measuring an increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

measuring an increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element;

determining an existing horizontal dimension of the element as equal to twice the measured increase in the horizontal dimension of the output region;

determining an existing vertical dimension of the element as equal to twice the measured increase in the vertical dimension of the output region; and

subsequently to measuring the increases in the horizontal and vertical dimensions, restoring the element to its original position within the output region;

a data collection server for receiving usage data with respect to the plug-in content;

an analysis module for analyzing the received usage data; and

a report generator for generating at least one overlay report based on the analyzed usage data.