Recording a hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP) session for playback

• US 9,350,817 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2009
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Toebes, John A., Davi, John C., Millican, Glenn T. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Chuang, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US12/507,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20110022964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,498 Days
• Field of Search: 715/747, 715/760
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes recording a sequence of online activities of a first user. The online activities include online consumption of online content by the first user. The method includes constructing a path based on the sequence of online activities of the first user. The path includes a sequence of online activity points that each correspond to one of the online activities in the sequence of online activities of the first user, and the path enables a second user to experience personally for themselves at least an approximation of the sequence of online activities of the first user. The method includes communicating the path for traversal of a portion of the path by the second user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining by one or more processors a set of rules that identify one or more types of online activities to be monitored and collected for a first user, the one or more types of online activities specified by the first user as online activities that are to be shared with other people;

based on the set of rules designating by the first user the one or more types of online activities to be shared with other people, determining by the one or more processors that a subset of a sequence of online activities of the first user are of the one or more types of online activities to be monitored and collected;

in response to determining that the online activities of the first user are of the one or more types of online activities, monitoring and recording by the one or more processors the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user, wherein the subset of the sequence of online activities includes only the one or more types of online activities specified by the first user as the online activities that are to be monitored and collected, wherein the online activities comprising online consumption of online content by the first user;

constructing by the one or more processors a path based on the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user, the path comprising a sequence of online activity points that each correspond to one of the online activities in the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user, the path enabling a second user to experience personally for himself or herself at least an approximation of the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user;

maintaining by the one or more processors a profile associated with the second user, the profile identifying the first user as a microproducer in which the second user is interested; and

in response to accessing the profile of the second user that identifies the first user as the microproducer in which the second user is interested, communicating by the one or more processors the path for traversal of a portion of the path by the second user,

wherein recording the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user comprises automatically recording, by a server hosting a particular website and based on the set of rules, the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user at the particular website,

wherein the path based on the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user is constructed in response to the second user visiting the particular website,

wherein the method further comprises;

at some time after the profile associated with the second user identifies the first user as the microproducer in which the second user is interested, determining that the second user has accessed the particular website associated with the online activities of the first user, and

wherein communicating the path for traversal of the portion of the path comprising the sequence of online activity points associated with the particular website to the second user for traversal by the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting by the one or more processors an advertisement point into the path communicated to the second user, the advertisement point corresponding to an advertisement, the advertisement related to the online activities of the first user but distinct from the online activities of the first user, traversal of the path by the second user causing presentation of the advertisement to the second user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the online activities of the first user are successive with respect to each other in the sequence of online activities of the first user; and

the online activity points are successive with respect to each other in the path.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the online activities comprises the first user:

accessing a web page;

viewing online text;

viewing an online image;

listening to online audio;

watching online video;

posting a comment to a portion of a web page;

uploading data;

or

downloading data.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising modifying by the one or more processors selected ones of the online activities corresponding to selected ones of the online activity points so that they become suitable to be experienced by the second user.

6. The method of Claim, 5, wherein an online activity of posting a comment to a portion of a web page is modified to viewing the comment on the web page.

7. The method of Claim, 5, wherein an online activity of uploading data by the first user is modified to viewing the data or downloading the data by the first user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the subset of the sequence of online activities comprises recording the sequence of online activities based on the set of rules for determining what online activities of the first user to record and what online activities of the first user not to record.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein constructing the path comprises:

accessing a selection made by the first user of the subset of the sequence of online activities; and

constructing the path based on the selection of the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting by the one or processors the path to the first user;

accessing by the one or more processors a modification to the path made by the first user; and

modifying by the one or more processors the path based on the modification to the path made by the first user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein recording by the one or more processors, the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user comprises:

monitoring, by a network monitor-collector, the sequence of online activities of the first user, wherein the sequence of online activities are performed by the first user at a plurality of network sites; and

based on the set of rules, automatically recording, by the network monitor-collector, the subset of the sequence of online activities performed by the first user at the plurality of network sites by the first user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sequence of online activities performed at the plurality of network sites comprises a sequence of online activities performed at a plurality of websites.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein recording by the one or more processors the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user comprises:

recording, by a first network monitor-collector associated with a first network site, the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user at the first network site; and

recording, by a second network monitor-collector associated with a second network site, the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user at the second network site.

14. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

maintain a set of rules that identify one or more types of online activities to be monitored and collected for a first user, the one or more types of online activities specified by the first user as online activities that are to be shared with other people;

based on the set of rules designating by the first user the one or more types of online activities to be shared with other people, determine that a subset of a sequence of online activities of the first user are of the one or more types of online activities to be monitored and collected;

in response to determining that the online activities of the first user are of the one or more types of online activities, monitor and record the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user, wherein the subset of the sequence of online activities includes only the one or more types of online activities specified by the first user as the online activities, that are to be monitored and collected, wherein the online activities comprising online consumption of online content by the first user;

construct a path based on the sequence of online activities of the first user, the path comprising a sequence of online activity points that each correspond to one of the online activities in the sequence of online activities of the first user, the path enabling a second user to experience personally for themselves at least an approximation of the sequence of online activities of the first user;

maintain a profile associated with the second user, the profile identifying the first user as a microproducer in which the second user is interested;

in response to accessing the profile of the second user that identifies the first user as the microproducer in which the second user is interested, communicate the path for traversal of a portion of the path by the second user,

wherein recording the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user comprises automatically recording, by a server hosting a particular website and based on the set of rules, the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user at the particular website,

wherein the path based on the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user is constructed in response to the second user visiting the particular website,

wherein the method further comprises;

at some time after the profile associated with the second user identifies the first user as the microproducer in which the second user is interested, determining that the second user has accessed the particular website associated with the online activities of the first user, and

wherein communicating the path for traversal of the portion of the path comprising the sequence of online activity points associated with the particular website to the second user for traversal by the second user.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the software is further operable when executed to record the sequence of online activities of the first user by:

monitoring, by a network monitor-collector, the sequence of online activities of the first user, wherein the sequence of online activities are performed by the first user at a plurality of network sites; and

based on the set of rules, automatically recording, by the network monitor-collector, the subset of the sequence of online activities performed by the first user at the plurality of network sites by the first user.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the sequence of online activities performed at the plurality of network sites comprises a sequence of online activities performed at a plurality of websites.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the software is further operable when recording the sequence of online activities of the first user to:

recording, by a first network monitor-collector associated with a first network site, the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user at the first network site; and

recording, by a second network monitor-collector associated with a second network site, the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user at the second network site.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a memory comprising instructions for execution by one or more processors; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being operable when executing the instructions to;

maintain a set of rules that identify one or more types of online activities to be monitored and collected for a first user, the one or more types of online activities specified by the first user as online activities that are to be shared with other people;

based on the set of rules designating by the first user the one or more types of online activities to be shared with other people, determine that a subset of a sequence of online activities of the first user are of the one or more types of online activities to be monitored and collected;

in response to determining that the online activities of the first user are of the one or more types of online activities, monitor and record the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user, wherein the subset of the sequence of online activities includes only the one or more types of online activities specified by the first user as the online activities that are to be monitored and collected, wherein the online activities comprising online consumption of online content by the first user;

construct a path based on the sequence of online activities of the first user, the path comprising a sequence of online activity points that each correspond to one of the online activities in the sequence of online activities of the first user, the path enabling a second user to experience personally for himself or herself at least an approximation of the sequence of online activities of the first user;

maintaining a profile associated with the second user, the profile identifying the first user as a microproducer in which the second user is interested;

in response to accessing the profile of the second user that identifies the first user as the microproducer in which the second user is interested, communicate the path for traversal of a portion of the path by the second user,

wherein recording the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user comprises automatically recording, by a server hosting a particular website and based on the set of rules, the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user at the particular website,

wherein the path based on the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user is constructed in response to the second user visiting the particular website,

wherein the method further comprises;

at some time after the profile associated with the second user identifies the first user as the microproducer in which the second user is interested, determining that the second user has accessed the particular website associated with the online activities of the first user, and

wherein communicating the path for traversal of the portion of the path comprising the sequence of online activity points associated with the particular website to the second user for traversal by the second user.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further operable to execute the instructions to record the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user by:

monitoring, by a network monitor-collector, the sequence of online activities of the first user, wherein the sequence of online activities are performed by the first user at a plurality of network sites; and

based on the set of rules, automatically recording, by the network monitor-collector, the subset of the sequence of online activities performed by the first user at the plurality of network sites by the first user.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the sequence of online activities performed at the plurality of network sites comprises a sequence of online activities performed at a plurality of websites.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further operable to execute the instructions to record the sequence of online activities of the first user by:

recording, by a first network monitor-collector associated with a first network site, the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user at the first network site; and

recording, by a second network monitor-collector associated with a second network site, the subset of the sequence of online activities of the first user at the second network site.