System and method for dynamically controlling sample rates and data flow in a networked measurement system by dynamic determination of statistical significance

• US 9,282,048 B1
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MOAT Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Fichter, Daniel E., Tsoufakis, Christopher R., Gomez, Nikki K, Rahman, Aniq, Goodhart, Jonah, Seiler, Michael Garrett, Agarwal, Suryansh
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilles, Jude Jean
• Application Number:
  US14/205,115
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/238, 709/242, 709/246
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/02 Capturing of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions

Abstract

A system and methods for dynamically controlling sample rates and data flow in a distributed networked environment by dynamic determination of statistical significance or characteristics for an unlimited number of data collection scripts concurrently executed on concurrently rendering web pages operating an unlimited number of advertisements. Consumer and media behaviors are sampled on all the different components of the distributed environment to gather information, which is transmitted to a downstream statistical analytics system. The system and methods are configured to balance the communication data flow and load among servers and browsers in this distributed networked environment that are engaged in viewing of online content including online content with one or more advertisements.

Claims

1. A method implemented on one or more computing devices, for dynamically adjusting sample rates of variables relating to attention by users to online content, wherein the online content is displayed on a plurality of user devices concurrently connected to a plurality of different websites, the method comprising:

defining, using at least one of the one or more computing devices, a desired sample rate based on determining one or more statistical characteristics of aggregated data derived from gathering sample data relating to attention by a plurality of users to the online content;

monitoring, using at least one of the one or more computing devices, aggregated data flows from the plurality of user devices to determine if current new information for a particular online content is required for statistical accuracy, wherein the monitoring is at least in part by a sample data collection script placed in the plurality of user devices;

assessing the impact of the aggregated data flows, using at least one of the one or more computing devices, on a downstream analytic server; and

adjusting the aggregated data flows, using at least one of the one or more computing devices, by changing sample rate parameters for measurement scripts provided to the plurality of user devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the aggregated data flows are determined to be less than a given threshold relating to network and system capacity, an adjustment is effected to increase the aggregated data flows.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein if the aggregated data flows are determined to exceed a given threshold relating to network and system capacity, an adjustment is effected to at least one of reducing and maintaining the aggregated data flows.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregated data flows include data on content elements of the online content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregated data flows include data reflecting at least one of consumer behavior and media behavior.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregated data flows include sampled data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregated data flows include sample rates.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data collection script is configured to modify the sample rate based at least in part on at least one of 1) information obtained from the downstream analytics server, 2) a decision by the data collection script based on information obtained from the downstream analytics server, and 3) a predetermined number provided to the data collection script.

9. A computer-program product for dynamically adjusting sample rates of variables relating to attention by users to online content, wherein the online content is displayed on a plurality of user devices concurrently connected to a plurality of different websites, the computer-program product comprising a computer-usable medium including a computer-readable program, wherein the computer-readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

define a desired sample rate based on determining statistical characteristics of aggregated data derived from samples derived from the online content;

monitor aggregated data flows from the plurality of user devices to determine if current new information for a particular online content is required for statistical accuracy;

assess the impact of the aggregated data flows on a downstream analytic server; and

adjust the aggregated data flows by changing sample rate parameters for measurement scripts provided to the plurality of user devices.

10. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein if the aggregated data flows are determined to be less than a given threshold relating to network and system capacity, an adjustment is effected to increase the aggregated data flows.

11. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein if the aggregated data flows are determined to exceed a given threshold relating to network and system capacity, an adjustment is effected to reduce the aggregated data flows.

12. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the aggregated data flows include data on content elements of the online content.

13. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the aggregated data flows include data reflecting at least one of consumer behavior and media behavior.

14. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the aggregated data flows include sampled data.

15. A system for dynamically adjusting sample rates of variables relating to attention by users to online content, wherein the online content displayed on a plurality of user devices concurrently connected to a plurality of different websites, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the processor to;

define a desired sample rate based on determining statistical characteristics of aggregated data derived from samples of the online content;

monitor aggregated data flows from the plurality of user devices to determine if current new information for a particular online content is required for statistical accuracy;

assess the impact of the aggregated data flows on a downstream analytic server; and

adjust the aggregated data flows by changing sample rate parameters for measurement scripts provided to the plurality of user devices.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein if the aggregated data flows are determined to be less than a given threshold relating to network and system capacity, an adjustment is effected to increase the aggregated data flows.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein if the aggregated data flows are determined to exceed a given threshold relating to network and system capacity, an adjustment is effected to reduce the aggregated data flows.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the aggregated data flows include data on content elements of the online content.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the aggregated data flows include data reflecting at least one of consumer behavior and media behavior.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the aggregated data flows include sampled data.