System and method for tracking user activity in an incentive award system
First Claim
1. A method of efficiently detecting a visit to a web site participating in an incentive award program, wherein the visit is detected at an information gathering system and wherein the information gathering system provides the incentive award program, the method comprising:
- receiving, at the information gathering system operating on the Internet, a request message from a user including an award identifier, wherein;
the information request message conforms to an Internet protocol,the award identifier is associated with a predefined user activity and a certain amount of incentive award points for future redemption by the user,the user sends the request message by activating a hyperlink presented on the participating web site during the visit, andthe participating web site is operated independently of the information gathering system;
automatically identifying a desired destination based on the request message received from the user, wherein the hyperlink advertises the desired destination to the user and wherein the desired destination is distinct from an address of the information gathering system at which the request message is received and from the participating web site; and
sending a redirect message to the user, wherein the redirect message directs the user to an Internet address of the desired destination, and wherein the redirect message conforms to an Internet protocol.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of efficiently detecting a visit to a web site participating in an incentive award program, wherein the visit is detected at an information gathering system and wherein the information gathering system provides the incentive award program, the method including receiving a request message from a user including an award identifier, wherein the award identifier is associated with a predefined user activity and wherein the user sends the request message by activating a hyperlink presented on the participating web site during the visit; identifying a desired destination based on the request message received from the user, wherein the hyperlink advertises the desired destination to the user and wherein the desired destination is distinct from an address of the information gathering system at which the request message is received; and sending a redirect message to the user, wherein the redirect message includes an Internet address of the desired destination.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of efficiently detecting a visit to a web site participating in an incentive award program, wherein the visit is detected at an information gathering system and wherein the information gathering system provides the incentive award program, the method comprising:
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receiving, at the information gathering system operating on the Internet, a request message from a user including an award identifier, wherein; the information request message conforms to an Internet protocol, the award identifier is associated with a predefined user activity and a certain amount of incentive award points for future redemption by the user, the user sends the request message by activating a hyperlink presented on the participating web site during the visit, and the participating web site is operated independently of the information gathering system; automatically identifying a desired destination based on the request message received from the user, wherein the hyperlink advertises the desired destination to the user and wherein the desired destination is distinct from an address of the information gathering system at which the request message is received and from the participating web site; and sending a redirect message to the user, wherein the redirect message directs the user to an Internet address of the desired destination, and wherein the redirect message conforms to an Internet protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An information gathering system offering incentive awards to registered users and adapted to efficiently detect a visit to a participating web site, the system comprising:
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a profile server storing a plurality of user profiles; an address associated with the information gathering system; and a transaction server communicatively coupled to the profile server, including a receiving routine including software instructions executable by a processor and adapted to receive a message from a user, wherein the message is sent in response to the user activating a hyperlink presented by the participating web site operated independently of the information gathering system, the message including an award identifier uniquely identifying an incentive award offered by the participating web site and associated with a certain amount of incentive award points for future redemption by the user, wherein the hyperlink appears to the user as pointing to a desired destination distinct from the address of the information gathering system; and a redirection routine including software instructions executable by a processor and adapted to identify an address of the desired destination and send a redirect message to the user, the redirect message including the address of the desired destination distinct from the participating web site. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification