Methods and apparatus for nonintrusive monitoring of web browser usage
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring web browsing, the method comprising:
- processing, by executing an instruction with a processor, a video image obtained from a video signal of a device implementing a web browser to identify a first image region less than the entire video image, the first image region having a first shape corresponding to an address bar of the web browser;
tagging, by executing an instruction with the processor, first textual information identified in the first image region as corresponding to an address of a web page displayed by the web browser in response to determining that the first textual information includes a first string of text matching a reference string of text; and
reporting the tagged first textual information to determine usage of the web browser.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Example methods disclosed herein for monitoring web browsing include processing a video image obtained from a video signal of a device implementing a web browser to identify a first image region less than the entire video image, the first image region having a first shape corresponding to an address bar of the web browser. Disclosed example methods also include tagging first textual information identified in the first image region as corresponding to an address of a web page displayed by the web browser in response to determining that the first textual information includes a first string of text matching a reference string of text. Disclosed example methods further include reporting the tagged first textual information to determine usage of the web browser.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring web browsing, the method comprising:
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processing, by executing an instruction with a processor, a video image obtained from a video signal of a device implementing a web browser to identify a first image region less than the entire video image, the first image region having a first shape corresponding to an address bar of the web browser; tagging, by executing an instruction with the processor, first textual information identified in the first image region as corresponding to an address of a web page displayed by the web browser in response to determining that the first textual information includes a first string of text matching a reference string of text; and reporting the tagged first textual information to determine usage of the web browser. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A tangible computer readable storage device or storage disk comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a computing device to at least:
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process a video image obtained from a video signal of a device implementing a web browser to identify a first image region less than the entire video image, the first image region having a first shape corresponding to an address bar of the web browser; tag first textual information identified in the first image region as corresponding to an address of a web page displayed by the web browser in response to determining that the first textual information includes a first string of text matching a reference string of text; and report the tagged first textual information to determine usage of the web browser. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for monitoring web browsing, the apparatus comprising:
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a computer processor; a graphical recognition processor to process a video image obtained from a video signal of a device implementing a web browser to identify a first image region less than the entire video image, the first image region having a first shape corresponding to an address bar of the web browser; a textual recognition processor to tag first textual information identified in the first image region as corresponding to an address of a web page displayed by the web browser in response to determining that the first textual information includes a first string of text matching a reference string of text; and a network interface report the tagged first textual information to determine usage of the web browser, at least one of the graphical recognition processor, the textual recognition processor or the network interface being implemented by the computer processor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method to monitor web browsing, the method comprising:
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determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, color scheme information for a region of a captured image including at least a portion of a web page displayed by a web browser implemented by a monitored device, the color scheme information including a histogram representative of respective numbers of pixels in the region having respective colors from a set of colors of interest; and comparing, by executing an instruction with the processor, the color scheme information to reference color schemes associated with respective reference web pages to identify, based on the color scheme information, a web site accessed using the web browser.
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17. A tangible computer readable storage device or storage disk comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a computing device to at least:
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determine color scheme information for a region of a captured image including at least a portion of a web page displayed by a web browser implemented by a monitored device, the color scheme information including a histogram representative of respective numbers of pixels in the region having respective colors from a set of colors of interest; and compare the color scheme information to reference color schemes associated with respective reference web pages to identify, based on the color scheme information, a web site accessed using the web browser.
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18. An apparatus to monitor web browsing, the apparatus comprising:
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means for determining color scheme information for a region of a captured image including at least a portion of a web page displayed by a web browser implemented by a monitored device, the color scheme information including a histogram representative of respective numbers of pixels in the region having respective colors from a set of colors of interest; and means for comparing the color scheme information to reference color schemes associated with respective reference web pages to identify, based on the color scheme information, a web site accessed using the web browser.
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Specification