Systems, methods, and apparatus to monitor mobile internet activity

• US 8,594,617 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Papakostas, Achilleas, Yonker, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Batista, Marcos
• Application Number:
  US13/174,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20130005296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/407, 455/408
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus to monitor mobile Internet activity are disclosed. An example method comprises assigning with a processor a first port number of a proxy server to a mobile device, the first port number to be used by the mobile device when accessing a wireless network via a first wireless access point; associating with the processor, the first port number with an identifier of the mobile device and an identifier of the first wireless access point; generating an instruction document identifying the first port number; and transmitting the instruction document to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring usage of a mobile device, the method comprising:

assigning, with a processor, a first port number of a proxy server to a mobile device, the first port number to be used by the mobile device when accessing a first wireless access point;

assigning, with the processor, a second port number of the proxy server to the mobile device, the second port number to be used by the mobile device when accessing a second wireless access point, the second port number being different from the first port number, the second wireless access point being different from the first wireless access point;

associating, with the processor, the first port number with an identifier of the mobile device and a first identifier of the first wireless access point, wherein the first identifier comprises a classification indicating a Service Set Identifier of the first wireless access point;

associating, with the processor, the second port number with the identifier of the mobile device and a second identifier of the second wireless access point;

generating an instruction document identifying the first port number; and

transmitting the instruction document to the mobile device.

2. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising associating demographic data with the mobile device.

3. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the classification indicates that the first wireless access point is a ‘

home’

access point.

4. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the instruction document is a proxy automatic configuration file.

5. The method as described in claim 1, wherein transmitting the instruction document comprises receiving a request for the instruction document from the mobile device.

6. The method as described in claim 5, wherein the request for the instruction document is made via a universal resource locator.

7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the first wireless access point is to host a WiFi network.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

assign a first port number of a proxy server to a client device, the first port number to be used by the client device when accessing a first wireless access point, wherein assigning the first port number comprises associating the first port number with an identifier of the client device and with a first identifier of the first wireless access point, the first identifier comprises a classification and a Service Set Identifier of the first wireless access point;

assign a second port number of the proxy server to the client device, the second port number to be used by the client device when accessing a second wireless access point, the second port number being different from the first port number, the second wireless access point being different from the first wireless access point, wherein assigning the second port number comprises associating the second port number with the identifier of the client device and with a second identifier of the second wireless access point;

generate an instruction document identifying the first port number; and

transmit the instruction document to the client device.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 8, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least associate demographic data with the client device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 8, wherein the instruction document is a proxy automatic configuration file.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 8, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least transmit the instruction document in response to receiving a request for the instruction document from the client device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 11, wherein the request for the instruction document is made via a universal resource locator.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 8, wherein the classification indicates the Service Set Identifier of the first wireless access point.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 8, wherein the classification indicates that the first wireless access point is a home access point.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 8, wherein the first wireless access point is a WiFi access point.

16. An apparatus to monitor Internet activity comprising:

a first port to receive a first request for Internet content, the first port associated with a device identifier of a client device and a network identifier of a first wireless network;

a second port to receive a second request for Internet content, the second port associated with the device identifier of the client device and the network identifier of a second wireless network;

a request servicer to receive at least one of the first request and the second request for Internet content, and to transmit Internet content identified in the request to the client device;

a processor to;

obtain the device identifier of the client device based on a port number associated with the one of the first port or the second port;

obtain the network identifier of one of the first wireless network or the second wireless network based on the port number associated with the one of the first port or the second port, the network identifier comprising a classification and an indication of a Service Set Identifier of the corresponding one of the first wireless network and the second wireless network; and

store a content identifier of the Internet content in association with the device identifier of the client device and the network identifier of the one of the first wireless network or the second wireless network in a database.

17. The apparatus as described in claim 16, wherein the network identifier of the wireless network comprises a classification of the wireless network.

18. The apparatus as described in claim 16, wherein the processor is further to store a portion of the Internet content identified in the request for Internet content.

19. A method of monitoring a mobile device, the method comprising:

transmitting first registration data from a mobile device to a registrar after the mobile device accesses a first wireless access point, the first registration data comprising a classification and an indication of a Service Set Identifier of the first wireless access point;

receiving a first instruction document specifying first proxy settings including a first port number to be used by the mobile device in accessing the first wireless access point, the first port number being associated with an identifier of the mobile device and a first identifier of the first wireless access point, the mobile device being an only mobile device to use the first port number with the first wireless access point;

transmitting second registration data from the mobile device to the registrar after the mobile device accesses a second wireless access point;

receiving a second instruction document specifying second proxy settings including a second port number to be used by the mobile device in accessing the second wireless access point, the second port number being associated with the identifier of the mobile device and a second identifier of the second wireless access point, the mobile device being an only mobile device to use the second port number with the second wireless access point, the second port number being different than the first port number;

applying the first proxy settings to the mobile device when the mobile device accesses the first wireless access point; and

applying the second proxy settings to the mobile device when the mobile device accesses the second wireless access point.

20. The method as described in claim 19, wherein the first wireless access point is a WiFi access point.

21. The method as described in claim 19, wherein the first registration data comprises the identifier of the mobile device.

22. The method as described in claim 19, further comprising determining if the first proxy setting is already configured on the mobile device for the first wireless access point, and wherein transmitting the first registration data, receiving the first instruction document, and applying the first proxy settings are not performed if the first proxy setting is already configured on the mobile device for the first wireless access point.

23. The method as described in claim 19, further comprising receiving the classification of the first wireless access point.

24. The method as described in claim 23, wherein the classification of the wireless access point identifies the Service Set Identifier of the first wireless access point.

25. The method as described in claim 19, further comprising determining if usage of the first wireless access point exceeds a threshold, and wherein transmitting the first registration data, receiving the first instruction document, and applying the first proxy settings are only performed if the usage exceeds the threshold.

26. The method as described in claim 25, wherein the threshold is a number of connection occurrences.

27. The method as described in claim 25, wherein the threshold represents a number of connection occurrences within a period of time.

28. The method as described in claim 25, wherein the threshold comprises an amount of data transmitted to the first access point.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 28, wherein the first wireless access point is a WiFi access point.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 28, wherein the first registration data comprises the identifier of the client device.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 28, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least determine if the proxy setting is already configured on the client device for the first wireless access point, and wherein transmitting the first registration data, receiving the first instruction document, and applying the first proxy settings are not performed if the first proxy setting is already configured on the client device for the first wireless access point.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 28, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least receive the classification of the first wireless access point.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 33, wherein the classification of the first wireless access point identifies the Service Set Identifier of the first wireless access point.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 28, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least determine if usage of the first wireless access point exceeds a threshold, and wherein the instructions only cause the machine to transmit the first registration data, receive the first instruction document, and apply the first proxy settings if the usage exceeds the threshold.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 35, wherein the threshold is a number of connection occurrences.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 35, wherein the threshold represents a number of connection occurrences within a period of time.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 35, wherein the threshold comprises an amount of data transmitted to the wireless network.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in claim 35, wherein the threshold comprises a period of time for which the client device was connected to the first wireless access point.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

transmit first registration data from a client device to a registrar after the client device accesses a first wireless access point, the first registration data comprising a classification and an indication of a Service Set Identifier of the first wireless access point;

receive a first instruction document specifying first proxy settings including a first port number to be used by the client device in accessing the first wireless access point, the first port number being associated with an identifier of the client device and a first identifier of the first wireless access point, the client device being an only client device to use the first port number with the first wireless access point;

transmit second registration data from the client device to the registrar after the client device accesses a second wireless access point;

receive a second instruction document specifying second proxy settings including a second port number to be used by the client device in accessing the second wireless access point, the second port number being associated with the identifier of the client device and a second identifier of the second wireless access point, the client device being an only client device to use the second port number with the second wireless access point, the second port number being different than the first port number;

apply the first proxy settings to the client device when the client device accesses the first wireless access point; and

apply the second proxy settings to the client device when the client device accesses the second wireless access point.