Method of data collection among participating content providers in a distributed network
First Claim
1. Apparatus for use in a content delivery network (CDN) in which participating content providers offload given content for delivery from content servers managed by a content delivery network service provider, comprising:
- a processor;
a computer memory holding computer program instructions that when executed by the processor perform a method comprising;
tracking a client machine user agent across a plurality of content provider domains being managed by the content delivery network service provider, wherein the client machine user agent is an atomically identifiable web client, the tracking including the following sub-steps carried out with respect to at least one content provider domain visited by the client machine user agent;
redirecting the client machine user agent from the content provider domain to a content delivery network service provider namespace and setting a master cookie,automatically redirecting the client machine user agent back to the content provider domain from which the client machine user agent was redirected; and
setting a content provider domain-specific cookie equal to the value of the master cookie; and
with permission of a first participating content provider, providing a second participating content provider with information obtained during the tracking step,wherein the information tracks the client machine user agent across one or more content domains associated with the first participating content provider and includes an indication that the client machine user agent has visited the one or more content domains.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A content delivery network (CDN) service provider extends a content delivery network to gather information on atomically identifiable web clients (called “user agents”) as such computer-implemented entities interact with the CDN across different domains being managed by the CDN service provider. In one embodiment, a set of machines, processes, programs, and data comprise a data system. The data system tracks user agents, preferably via cookies, although one or more passive techniques may be used. A user agent may be a cookie-able device having a cookie store. As the user agent navigates across sites, a CDN-specific unique identifier used by the system to correlate user agents is generated. Preferably, the unique identifier is stored as an encrypted cookie. The unique identifier represents one user agent (and, thus, one cookie-able device'"'"'s store). The system tracks user agent behavior on and across customer sites that are served by the CDN, and these behaviors are classified into identifiable “segments” that may be used to create a profile. CDN customers use the data system to obtain information that characterizes the user agent.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. Apparatus for use in a content delivery network (CDN) in which participating content providers offload given content for delivery from content servers managed by a content delivery network service provider, comprising:
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a processor; a computer memory holding computer program instructions that when executed by the processor perform a method comprising; tracking a client machine user agent across a plurality of content provider domains being managed by the content delivery network service provider, wherein the client machine user agent is an atomically identifiable web client, the tracking including the following sub-steps carried out with respect to at least one content provider domain visited by the client machine user agent; redirecting the client machine user agent from the content provider domain to a content delivery network service provider namespace and setting a master cookie, automatically redirecting the client machine user agent back to the content provider domain from which the client machine user agent was redirected; and setting a content provider domain-specific cookie equal to the value of the master cookie; and with permission of a first participating content provider, providing a second participating content provider with information obtained during the tracking step, wherein the information tracks the client machine user agent across one or more content domains associated with the first participating content provider and includes an indication that the client machine user agent has visited the one or more content domains. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification