System and method for assigning computer users to test groups
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of conducting a test on a testable characteristic of a webpage transmitted to a plurality of users, said method comprising:
- assigning the test a unique identification value;
generating a plurality of random numbers using a number generation module;
transmitting one of the plurality of random numbers to each of the plurality of users over a computer network;
receiving a random value and a request for the webpage from each of the plurality of users over the computer network;
anddetermining a function that uses the random value received from the user and the unique identification value for the test to which the user is exposed to place into a test group;
serving a version of the webpage to the each user that includes a variant of the testable characteristic as dictated by the test group to which the user pertains.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method to efficiently and randomly place users into a test group associated with a test running on a website being hosted on a server is disclosed. When a user first accesses the website, a random value is transmitted to the user in such a manner that the random value is stored in a computer-readable memory local to the user. Each subsequent time the user accesses the website, the random value is returned to the server from the user. The server may then place the user into a test group for a test to which the user will be exposed on the website based upon the result of an operation that includes the random value received from the user and a unique test value previously associated with the test.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of conducting a test on a testable characteristic of a webpage transmitted to a plurality of users, said method comprising:
- assigning the test a unique identification value;
generating a plurality of random numbers using a number generation module; transmitting one of the plurality of random numbers to each of the plurality of users over a computer network; receiving a random value and a request for the webpage from each of the plurality of users over the computer network; and determining a function that uses the random value received from the user and the unique identification value for the test to which the user is exposed to place into a test group; serving a version of the webpage to the each user that includes a variant of the testable characteristic as dictated by the test group to which the user pertains. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- assigning the test a unique identification value;
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11. A computer-implemented method of running a plurality of tests on a website, a plurality of users accessing said website, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) associating a unique test value with each of the plurality of tests; (b) defining test groups for each of the plurality of tests; (c) receiving a random value from each user accessing the website; and (d) placing each of the plurality of users that will be exposed to a given test into a test group for the given test based upon the random value received from that user and the unique test value associated with the given test;
associating a numerical range with each of the plurality of tests; and
assigning the test groups to a portion of the numerical range of the test to which they pertain. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer program on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium for running a test on a website, said computer program comprising:
- a test configuration module for associating a unique test value with the test;
a number generation module for generating a random number;
a server module for transmitting the random value to a user accessing the website and causing the random value to be stored in a computer-readable memory local to the user;
said server module further operable to receive the random value back from the user each time the user accesses the website;
a calculation module for determining a test placement value based on the random value received back from the user and the unique test value using a predefined function; and
a placement module for assigning the user to a test group of the test based upon the test placement value;
wherein said server module is further operable to send a version of a webpage to the user that includes a variant of the test corresponding to the test group to which the user has been assigned. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
- a test configuration module for associating a unique test value with the test;
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26. A computer-implemented method of conducting a test on a testable characteristic of a webpage, said method comprising:
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receiving a random value and a request for the webpage from a user; determining a test group for the user using said random value; serving a version of the webpage to the user that includes a variant of the testable characteristic as dictated by the test group to which the user pertains; determining the test group for the user using said random value and a unique test value associated with said test in a function; wherein the function comprises;
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27. A computer-implemented method of conducting a test on a testable characteristic of a webpage, said method comprising:
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receiving a random value and a request for the webpage from a user; determining a test group for the user using said random value; serving a version of the webpage to the user that includes a variant of the testable characteristic as dictated by the test group to which the user pertains; determining the test group for the user using said random value and a unique test value associated with said test in a function; wherein the function comprises;
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Specification