Method and apparatus for tracking user profile and habits on a global network
First Claim
1. A method of tracking network activity of a user, which user has associated therewith a unique ID identifying the user, which unique ID is associated with profile information previously provided by the user and stored at a registration server, the unique ID stored in association with an application on a computer of the user, comprising the steps of:
- accessing a vendor server on a network by the user to view vendor server information;
transmitting to the vendor server the unique ID stored in the application on the user'"'"'s computer in response to accessing the vendor server;
accessing at the vendor server the user profile information at the registration server utilizing the received unique ID and associated therewith;
delivering from the vendor server information to the user computer for use by the user as a function of the accessed user profile information;
logging activities of the user with an activity log generated and stored in association with the unique user ID while the user accesses the vendor server for receiving the server information; and
wherein the activity log is generated on the computer of the user and stored thereon.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for tracking network activity of a user. A user PC (302) disposed on a network (306) runs tracking software which initially requires registration to a registration server (2500). The registration process is initiated by the user entering user information into the tracking software for transmission to the registration server (2500). In response to registration, the registration server (2500) sends a unique ID and bar code back to the user PC (302). Subsequently, when the user accesses a vendor server (2504) disposed on the network (306), the user PC (302) passes the unique ID/bar code to the vendor server (2504). The vendor server (2504) sends the unique ID/bar code to the registration server to obtain user profile information which matches the unique ID/bar code. As the user accesses the vendor server (2504), the user activities are logged and returned to the registration server (2500) for updating the user information stored therein. Alternatively, the user information is stored on the user PC (302), the tracking software issued to the user having the unique ID bar code. Subsequent accesses to the vendor server (2504) results in the activity log being sent back to the user PC (302) for updating the user information.
192 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of tracking network activity of a user, which user has associated therewith a unique ID identifying the user, which unique ID is associated with profile information previously provided by the user and stored at a registration server, the unique ID stored in association with an application on a computer of the user, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a vendor server on a network by the user to view vendor server information; transmitting to the vendor server the unique ID stored in the application on the user'"'"'s computer in response to accessing the vendor server; accessing at the vendor server the user profile information at the registration server utilizing the received unique ID and associated therewith; delivering from the vendor server information to the user computer for use by the user as a function of the accessed user profile information; logging activities of the user with an activity log generated and stored in association with the unique user ID while the user accesses the vendor server for receiving the server information; and wherein the activity log is generated on the computer of the user and stored thereon.
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2. A method of tracking network activity of a user, which user has associated therewith a unique ID identifying the user, which unique ID is associated with profile information previously provided by the user and stored at a registration server, the unique ID stored in association with an application on a computer of the user, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a vendor server on a network by the user to view vendor server information; transmitting to the vendor server the unique ID stored in the application on the user'"'"'s computer in response to accessing the vendor server; accessing at the vendor server the user profile information at the registration server utilizing the received unique ID and associated therewith; delivering from the vendor server information to the user computer for use by the user as a function of the accessed user profile information; logging activities of the user with an activity log generated and stored in association with the unique user ID while the user accesses the vendor server for receiving the server information; implementing a profile application on the computer of the user disposed on the network to track the network activity of the user, which profile application has associated therewith the unique ID, wherein the profile application, after a configuration process, associates the unique ID with the user and user profile information, and has a bar code associated therewith that is distinct from the unique ID, the unique ID embedded within the bar code; and wherein the configuration process includes the step of entering user profile information of the user into the profile application, which user profile information is then associated with the unique ID and bar code. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of tracking network activity of a user, which user has associated therewith a unique ID identifying the user, which unique ID is associated with profile information previously provided by the user and stored at a registration server, the unique ID stored in association with an application on a computer of the user, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a vendor server on a network by the user to view vendor server information; transmitting to the vendor server the unique ID stored in the application on the user'"'"'s computer in response to accessing the vendor server; accessing at the vendor server the user profile information at the registration server utilizing the received unique ID and associated therewith; delivering from the vendor server information to the user computer for use by the user as a function of the accessed user profile information; logging activities of the user with an activity log generated and stored in association with the unique user ID while the user accesses the vendor server for receiving the server information; and wherein the vendor server presents advertising to the user based upon information extracted from the user profile information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of tracking network activity of a user, which user has associated therewith a unique ID identifying the user, which unique ID is associated with profile information previously provided by the user and stored at a registration server, the unique ID stored in association with an application on a computer of the user, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a vendor server on a network by the user to view vendor server information; transmitting to the vendor server the unique ID stored in the application on the user'"'"'s computer in response to accessing the vendor server; accessing at the vendor server the user profile information at the registration server utilizing the received unique ID and associated therewith; delivering from the vendor server information to the user computer for use by the user as a function of the accessed user profile information; and wherein the activity log is generated on the computer of the user and stored thereon.
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16. A method of tracking network activity of a user, which user has associated therewith a unique ID identifying the user, which unique ID is associated with profile information previously provided by the user and stored at a registration server, the unique ID stored in association with an application on a computer of the user, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a vendor server on a network by the user to view vendor server information; transmitting to the vendor server the unique ID stored in the application on the user'"'"'s computer in response to accessing the vendor server; accessing at the vendor server the user profile information at the registration server utilizing the received unique ID and associated therewith; delivering from the vendor server information to the user computer for use by the user as a function of the accessed user profile information; and implementing a profile application on the computer of the user disposed on the network to track the network activity of the user, which profile application has associated therewith the unique ID, wherein the profile application, after a configuration process, associates the unique ID with the user and user profile information, and has a bar code associated therewith that is distinct from the unique ID, the unique ID embedded within the bar code; and wherein the configuration process includes the step of entering user profile information of the user into the profile application, which user profile information is then associated with the unique ID and bar code. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of tracking network activity of a user, which user has associated therewith a unique ID identifying the user, which unique ID is associated with profile information previously provided by the user and stored at a registration server, the unique ID stored in association with an application on a computer of the user, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a vendor server on a network by the user to view vendor server information; transmitting to the vendor server the unique ID stored in the application on the user'"'"'s computer in response to accessing the vendor server; accessing at the vendor server the user profile information at the registration server utilizing the received unique ID and associated therewith; delivering from the vendor server information to the user computer for use by the user as a function of the accessed user profile information; and wherein the vendor server presents advertising to the user based upon information extracted from the user profile information. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification