Determining repeat website users via browser uniqueness tracking

• US 9,934,310 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arkose Labs Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fisk, Frank C., Ramanathan, Sri, Terry, Matthew A., Trevathan, Matthew B.
• Primary Examiner(s): KLICOS, NICHOLAS GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US13/352,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20130185645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,267 Days
• Field of Search: 715738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

An approach for determining repeat website users via browser uniqueness tracking includes receiving browser information from a server based on a browser accessing a website. The approach includes creating a browser identifier based on the browser information. The approach includes determining the browser is one of a new visitor and a repeat visitor to the website by comparing the browser identifier to other browser identifiers associated with the website. The approach includes transmitting a message to the server indicating the browser is one of a new visitor and a repeat visitor to the website based on the determining.

Claims

1. A method implemented in a computer infrastructure, comprising:

receiving, at a browser tag tool, browser information from a website server, separate from and in communication with the browser tag tool, based on a browser accessing a website which includes the website server, wherein the browser comprises a software application, and wherein the browser information is comprised of;

a plurality of parameters including an operating system type, a browser type of the browser, and whether cookies are enabled or not, and a respective value for each one of the plurality of parameters;

receiving, at the browser tag tool, from the website server, data indicating which parameters, among the plurality of parameters of the browser information including the operating system type, the browser type of the browser, and whether cookies are enabled or not, are to be used in creating a browser identifier;

creating the browser identifier based on the indicated parameters of the browser information which the data indicates are to be used to create the browser identifier;

determining whether the browser is one of a new visitor and a repeat visitor to the website by comparing the browser identifier to other browser identifiers associated with the website;

in response to determining that the browser is a repeat visitor, determining whether the browser is attempting multiple registrations at the website;

transmitting a message to the website server indicating the browser is one of a new visitor and a repeat visitor to the website based on the determining; and

in response to determining that the browser is a repeat visitor attempting multiple registrations at the website, maintaining a record of the attempted multiple registrations of the browser, permitting the repeat visitor to enter a plurality of votes in polls, and, after permitting the repeat visitor to enter the plurality of votes, analyzing the plurality of votes to limit the browser to a predefined number of votes within a specified time period,

wherein the creating comprises accessing a plurality of data structures being comprised of exemplary values for respective ones of the indicated parameters of the browser information;

each respective one of the plurality of data structures comprises;

a plurality of possible values associated with the corresponding respective one of the indicated parameters; and

a plurality of codes associated with the plurality of possible values, and

the creating further comprises;

determining, for each indicated parameter, a value of the browser corresponding to that parameter;

comparing the determined value for each indicated parameter with the plurality of possible values in the data structure for each indicated parameter;

determining a code from the data structure for the browser for each indicated parameter; and

combining the determined codes for each indicated parameter into a numerical string of data to form the browser identifier which includes the determined codes for the operating system type, the browser type and whether cookies are enabled or not.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the browser identifier to the website server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the website offers a service comprising at least one of:

email, voting, auctioning, and gaming.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the receiving of browser information and data from the website server is based on the browser registering at the website to gain access to the service.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the browser identifier with the other browser identifiers associated with the website.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a service provider creates, maintains, deploys, or supports the computer infrastructure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of claim 1 are provided by a service provider on a subscription, advertising, or fee basis.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising polling a trusted source to obtain updates to the plurality of possible values and the plurality of codes associated with the plurality of values contained in at least one of the plurality of data structures and deleting the browser identifier after the browser identifier has been saved for a predetermined amount of time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving, from the website server, only those indicated parameters, among the plurality of parameters, to be used in creating the browser identifier.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving, from the website server, all of the parameters of the browser information and a list of the indicated parameters, selected by the website server from among the plurality of parameters, to be used in creating the browser identifier.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer readable hardware storage device having readable program code embodied in the computer readable hardware storage device, the computer program product includes at least one component operable to:

receive, by a website server, a request from a browser to register at a website, wherein the browser comprises a software application;

obtain, by the website server, browser information from the browser in association with the request, wherein the browser information is comprised of;

a plurality of parameters including an operating system type, a browser type of the browser, and whether cookies are enabled or not, and a respective value for each one of the plurality of parameters;

forward, by the website server, the browser information to a browser tag tool, separate from and in communication with the website server;

forward, by the website server, data indicating which parameters, among the plurality of parameters, of the browser information are to be used in creating a browser tag;

create, by the browser tag tool, the browser tag based on a plurality of the indicated parameters of the browser information* which the data indicates are to be used to create the browser tag; and

receive, by the website server, an indication from the browser tag tool that the browser has previously registered with the website or the browser has not previously registered with the website based upon a comparison of the browser tag with other browser tags for the website,

in response to receiving an indication that the browser has previously registered with the website, determine whether the browser is attempting multiple registrations at the website; and

in response to determining that the browser has previously registered with the website and is attempting multiple registrations at the website, maintaining a record of the attempted multiple registrations of the browser, permitting the repeat visitor to enter a plurality of votes in polls, and, after permitting the repeat visitor to enter the plurality of votes, analyzing the plurality of votes to limit the browser to a predefined number of votes within a specified time period,

the creating further comprises;

determining, for each indicated parameter, a value of the browser corresponding to that indicated parameter;

comparing the determined value for each indicated parameter with a plurality of possible values in a data structure for each indicated parameter, wherein the data structure comprises exemplary values of respective ones of the indicated parameters of the browser information;

determining a code from the data structure for the browser for each indicated parameter; and

combining the determined codes for each indicated parameter into a numerical string of data to form the browser tag which includes the determined codes for the operating system type, the browser type and whether cookies are enabled or not.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the at least one component is further operable to deny registration to the website based on the indication that the browser has previously registered with the website.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the at least one component is further operable to:

grant registration to the website; and

maintain a record of the indication that the browser has previously registered with the website.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the at least one component is further operable to determine how frequently the browser is registering with the website and/or how frequently the browser is utilizing services provided by the website using the record and other data including date and time of registering with the website.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein:

the website comprises a voting service to permit an online vote;

the receiving the indication comprises receiving an indication that the browser has previously registered with the website; and

the at least one component is further operable to;

receive the browser tag from the browser tag tool;

grant the browser access to the online vote; and

store a record comprising;

a vote made by the browser in the online vote, the browser tag, and a time the vote was made.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the at least one component is further operable to determine whether the browser violated rules of the online vote by analyzing the vote made by the browser in the online vote, the browser tag, and the time the vote was made.

17. A method of deploying a system for determining repeat user visits to a website, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure operable to;

receive a request from a browser to register at a website which includes a website server, wherein the browser comprises a software application;

obtain, at a browser tag tool, separate from and in communication with the website server, browser infonnation from the browser in association with the request, wherein the browser information is comprised of;

a plurality of parameters including an operating system type, a browser type of the browser, and whether cookies are enabled or not, and a respective value for each one of the plurality of parameters;

obtaining, at the browser tag tool, from the website server, data indicating which parameters, among the plurality of parameters, of the browser information are to be used in creating a browser tag;

create the browser tag using at least one of the indicated parameters of the browser information, which the data indicates are to be used to create the browser tag;

determine the browser is one of a new visitor and a repeat visitor to the website by comparing the browser tag to other browser tags associated with the website;

store the browser tag with the other browser tags associated with the website;

maintain a record of the browser tag and actions performed by the browser at the website;

in response to determining that the browser is a repeat visitor, determine whether the browser is attempting multiple registrations at the website; and

in response to determining that the browser is a repeat visitor attempting multiple registrations at the website,

maintaining a record of the attempted multiple registrations of the browser, permitting the repeat visitor to enter a plurality of votes in polls, and, after permitting the repeat visitor to enter the plurality of votes, analyzing the votes to limit the browser to a predefined number of votes within a specified time period,

wherein the receiving, the obtaining, and the maintaining are performed by a website server hosting the website;

the creating, the determining, and the storing are performed by a browser tag tool; and

the creating comprises accessing a plurality of data structures, each one of the plurality of data structures being comprised of exemplary values of respective ones of the indicated parameters of the browser information;

each respective one of the plurality of data structures comprises;

a plurality of possible values associated with the corresponding respective one of the plurality of indicated parameters; and

a plurality of codes associated with the plurality of possible value, and

the creating further comprises;

determining, for each parameter, a value of the browser corresponding to that indicated parameter;

comparing the determined value for each indicated parameter with a plurality of possible values in the data structure for each indicated parameter;

determining a code from the data structure for the browser for each indicated parameter; and

combining the determined codes for each indicated parameter into a numerical string of data to form the browser tag which includes the determined codes for the operating system type, the browser type and whether cookies are enabled or not.