Web analytics event tracking system

• US 8,429,243 B1
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Simon, Cai, Chao, Moon, Hui Sok, Mui, Lik, VanderMolen, Douglas, Jones, Matthew, Tulsi, Japjit, Muret, Paul N., Nandy, Sagnik
• Primary Examiner(s): BAYARD, DJENANE M
• Application Number:
  US12/334,328
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/227, 711/1
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer program products are described for formatting and sending data corresponding to web page events and user interactions with content displayed by on a web page to a web analytics system for storage and reporting.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

sending a web page to a client device, the web page comprising

one or more embedded scripts for instructing a web browser of the client device to;

identify a plurality of project identifiers associated with events associated with the web page;

encode data corresponding to events associated with the web page into a data format comprising a string of characters, the string of characters including the plurality of project identifiers and a plurality of data elements, a position of each data element in the string indicating a corresponding project identifier, data type, and index number; and

transmit the string;

wherein encoding data comprises encoding a first project identifier in response to a first event on the webpage and a second project identifier, different from the first project identifier, in response to a second event on the webpage; and

wherein the first project identifier corresponds to a first set of events, and the second project identifier corresponds to a second set of events, and wherein the first and second sets of events define different sets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the string includes no variables names.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the events associated with the web page comprise user interactions with objects displayed on the web page.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the events associated with the web page comprise user interactions with a feed displayed on the web page.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the events associated with the web page comprise user interactions with a flash object of the web page.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the events associated with the web page comprise a latency corresponding to a load time of an object of the web page.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the embedded scripts comprise scripts implementing a hierarchical data object model across a web site comprising multiple web pages.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a top level of the hierarchical data object model comprises an event tracker object.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the hierarchical data object model includes at least one named action associated with the event tracker object corresponding to a web page event tracked by the web analytics system.

10. A system comprising:

one or more computers configured to interact with a client device and operable to;

send a web page to the client device including one or more embedded scripts for instructing a web browser of the client device to;

identify a plurality of project identifiers associated with events associated with the web page;

encode data corresponding to events associated with the web page into a data format comprising a string of characters, the string of characters including the plurality of project identifiers and a plurality of data elements, a position of each data element in the string indicating a corresponding project identifier, data type, and index number; and

transmit the string;

wherein encoding data comprises encoding a first project identifier in response to a first event on the webpage and a second project identifier, different from the first project identifier, in response to a second event on the webpage; and

wherein the first project identifier corresponds to a first set of events, and the second project identifier corresponds to a second set of events, and wherein the first and second sets of events define different sets.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the string includes no variables names.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the events associated with the web page comprise user interactions with objects displayed on the web page.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the events associated with the web page comprise user interactions with a feed displayed on the web page.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the events associated with the web page comprise user interactions with a flash object of the web page.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the events associated with the web page comprise a latency corresponding to a load time of an object of the web page.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the embedded scripts comprise scripts implementing a hierarchical data object model across a web site comprising multiple web pages.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a top level of the hierarchical data object model comprises an event tracker object.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the hierarchical data object model includes at least one named action associated with the event tracker object corresponding to a web page event tracked by the web analytics system.

19. The system of claim 10 wherein the web page further comprises a web page object.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the web page object is a video player.

21. The system of claim 10, wherein the web page object is a flash object.

22. The system of claim 10, wherein the web page object is an audio player.

23. The system of claim 10, wherein the web page object is a gadget advertisement object.

24. A computer storage device encoded with computer program instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

sending a web page to a client device, the web page comprising;

one or more embedded scripts for instructing a web browser of the client device to;

identify a plurality of project identifiers associated with events associated with the web page;

encode data corresponding to events associated with the web page into a data format comprising a string of characters, the string of characters including the plurality of project identifiers and a plurality of data elements, a position of each data element in the string indicating a corresponding project identifier, data type, and index number; and

transmit the string;

wherein encoding data comprises encoding a first project identifier in response to a first event on the webpage and a second project identifier, different from the first project identifier, in response to a second event on the webpage; and

wherein the first project identifier corresponds to a first set of events, and the second project identifier corresponds to a second set of events, and wherein the first and second sets of events define different sets.