Method of gathering information related to activity of a user and a data processing system program product

• US 7,831,706 B1
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Vignette Corporation (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: McCullough, Sean M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter; Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US11/137,723
• Time in Patent Office: 1,994 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

Information related to activity of a user may be provided using a method or a data processing system program product to perform the method. In one embodiment, the method includes sending a first view request to a first electronic site, receiving a first view from the first electronic site, and first information related to the first view request to a second entity that is different from the first entity. In another embodiment, a data processing system program product may perform a method of sending information related to a view request from the user for an electronic site. The information is to be sent to an entity that is different from an entity that substantially controls or owns the electronic site and different from an Internet service provider of the user, if the user is to use the Internet service provider in accessing the electronic site.

Claims

1. A method, executing on hardware, of gathering information related to activity of a user comprising:

at an electronic site access provider (ESAP) computer coupled to a network, receiving a first view request from a user'"'"'s electronic communications device coupled to the network;

sending the first view request received from the user'"'"'s electronic communication device to a first electronic site on a first server that is substantially controlled or owned by a first entity;

sending information specific to the first view request over the network to a user information system server that is different from the electronic site access provider computer, user'"'"'s electronic communication device, and the first server, wherein the user'"'"'s electronic communication device sends the information specific to the first view request and wherein the user information system server is substantially controlled or owned by a second entity different than the first entity;

receiving a first view from the first electronic site at the user'"'"'s electronic communication device, wherein the first view substantially corresponds to the first view request; and

at the user information system server, compiling a user request history associated with the user using the information specific to the first view request and information specific to multiple additional view requests associated with the user from multiple additional electronic sites, wherein the user information system server is not between the user'"'"'s electronic communication device and the first electronic site or multiple additional electronic sites, wherein the multiple additional view requests comprise view requests to electronic sites controlled by one or more entities other than the first entity or second entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second entity is not an Internet service provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information includes site information specific to the first view request, an identifier related to a user, and temporal information related to the first view request.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing at least some of the first information from the user information system server, wherein accessing is performed by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a second view request to a second electronic site on a second server remote from the first server and the user information system server;

receiving a second view from the second electronic site, wherein the second view substantially corresponds to the second view request; and

determining whether to send second information specific to the second view request to the user information system computer, wherein the acts of sending the second view request, receiving the second view, and determining whether to send the second information are performed by user'"'"'s electronic communication device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining whether to send the second information is independent of determining to send the first information.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second information includes site information specific to the second view request, an identifier related to a user, and temporal information related to the second view request.

8. A system comprising a client computer coupled to the internet, the client computer further comprising a data processing system program product having a non-transitory data processing system readable medium storing code, the code including a set of instructions executable by a data processing system of a user'"'"'s electronic communication device to perform a method of gathering information related to activity of the user, the method comprising:

providing a browser and data processing system code at the user'"'"'s electronic communications device;

sending a first view request from the user'"'"'s electronic communication device using the browser to a first electronic site on a first server, wherein the browser sends the first view request and wherein the first server is substantially controlled or owned by a first entity;

receiving a first view substantially corresponding to the first view request using the browser;

determining that the browser should send information specific to the first view request to a user information system server that is separate from the electronic site and that is substantially controlled by a second entity that is different than the first entity, wherein the determining is performed by the data processing system code; and

sending the information specific to the first view request to the user information system server using the browser, wherein the user information system server is operable to compile a user request history associated with the user using information specific to the first view request and information specific to multiple additional view requests associated with the user from multiple additional electronic sites, wherein the user information system server is not between the user'"'"'s electronic communication device and the first electronic site or multiple additional electronic sites, wherein the multiple additional view requests comprise view requests to electronic sites controlled by one or more entities other than the first entity or second entity.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

sending a second view request to a second electronic site on a second server remote from the first server and the user information system server;

receiving a second view from the second electronic site, wherein the second view substantially corresponds to the second view request; and

determining whether to send second information specific to the second view request to the user information system server, wherein the acts of sending the second view request, receiving the second view, and determining whether to send the second information are performed by user'"'"'s electronic communications device, and wherein sending the second information is independent of sending the first information.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first information includes site information specific to the first view request, an identifier related to a user, and temporal information specific to the first view request.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises accessing at least some of the first information from the user information system server, wherein accessing is performed by the user.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the data processing system code is a plug-in for a browser program.

13. A system for creating a user profile based on activity at electronic sites comprising:

an electronic communications hardware device associated with a user coupled to a network, the user'"'"'s electronic communication device configured to;

send a first view request to a first electronic site over the network, wherein the first electronic site is on a first server that is substantially controlled or owned by a first entity;

receive a first view substantially corresponding to the first view request over the network;

send a second view request to a second electronic site over the network;

receive a second view substantially corresponding to the second view request over the network;

automatically send information about the first view request and second view request to a user information system that is substantially controlled by a second entity that is different than the first entity;

a first electronic site remote from the first electronic site coupled to the network and configured to;

receive the first view request;

send the first view to the user'"'"'s electronic communication device over the network;

a second electronic site coupled to the network and configured to;

receive the second view request;

send the second view to the user'"'"'s electronic communication device over the network; and

the user information system coupled to the network, the user information system comprising a database of user activities, the user information system configured to;

receive information about view requests from a plurality of users'"'"' electronic communication devices; and

build user profiles for the plurality of users based on the received information about view requests, comprising compiling a user request history associated with the user using information specific to the first view request and information specific to multiple additional view requests associated with the user from multiple additional electronic sites, wherein the user information system server is not between the user'"'"'s electronic communication device and the first electronic site or multiple additional electronic sites, wherein the multiple additional view requests comprise view requests to electronic sites controlled by one or more entities other than the first entity or second entity.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the information about the first view request includes site information specific to the first view request, an identifier related to a user, and temporal information related to the first view request.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the information about the second view request includes site information specific to the second view request, the identifier related to a user, and temporal information related to the second view request.