WO2009128820A1 - Procédés et systèmes discrets de collecte d’informations transmises sur un réseau - Google Patents

Procédés et systèmes discrets de collecte d’informations transmises sur un réseau Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2009128820A1
WO2009128820A1 PCT/US2008/060379 US2008060379W WO2009128820A1 WO 2009128820 A1 WO2009128820 A1 WO 2009128820A1 US 2008060379 W US2008060379 W US 2008060379W WO 2009128820 A1 WO2009128820 A1 WO 2009128820A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
network location
network
location
transmission
responding
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Application number
PCT/US2008/060379
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English (en)
Inventor
Kenneth Tola
Earl Grant-Lawrence
Original Assignee
Kenneth Tola
Earl Grant-Lawrence
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kenneth Tola, Earl Grant-Lawrence filed Critical Kenneth Tola
Priority to PCT/US2008/060379 priority Critical patent/WO2009128820A1/fr
Publication of WO2009128820A1 publication Critical patent/WO2009128820A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/01—Protocols
    • H04L67/10—Protocols in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network
    • H04L67/1001—Protocols in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
    • H04L67/1004—Server selection for load balancing
    • H04L67/1021—Server selection for load balancing based on client or server locations
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/01—Protocols
    • H04L67/10—Protocols in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network
    • H04L67/1001—Protocols in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/50—Network services
    • H04L67/535—Tracking the activity of the user
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L43/00—Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to unobtrusive methods and systems for collecting information transmitted over a network.
  • the first approach called server-side, loads software onto the customer's
  • client-side data collection solutions take a variety of forms. Examples of client-side
  • data collection solutions include code inserted on a page and text files (also known as
  • cookies which are stored on the client's machine.
  • MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • fMRI Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Figure 1 is a block diagram of a data collection system configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the network configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 3 is a block diagram of port forwarding according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 4 is a block diagram of a controller according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 5 illustrates a general message format
  • Figure 6 illustrates a conceptual URI look-up table.
  • Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating event handling steps for a message transmitted from an originating system to a responding system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 8 is a flow chart illustrating dynamic content management steps for a message transmitted from an originator system to a responding system according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 9 is a flow chart illustrating event handling steps for a message transmitted from a responding system to an originator system according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 10 is a flow chart illustrating dynamic content management steps for a message transmitted from a responding system to an originator system according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 11 is a flow chart illustrating steps for storing tracking information according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 12 is a block diagram providing one possible configuration of the data subsystem according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • Preferred embodiments of the invention provide a data collection system configurable to communicate with an originator system acting in the role of a responding system.
  • the information sent from the originator system can be stored for subsequent use and then utilized to generate a request based on the context of the originating system request.
  • the data collection system then acts in the role of the originator system and submits a request to the responding system via a network.
  • the originating message (request) includes a first Universal Resource Indicator (URI) that can be used to determine a responding system URI based at least in part on dynamic URI mappings.
  • the responding system can then return a response to the data collection system and this response can be both stored and used to generate a response back to the originator system.
  • This information can then be utilized to support advanced user interaction analytics with monitored network-enabled sites.
  • DataTrendzTM there are provided herein methods and systems for tracking messages transmitted over a network.
  • the ability of DataTrendzTM to interject processing directly into the request-response stream allows users to store and/or analyze, for the first time, both structure and function. Collecting this context- dependent data will provide significant new insights that scale beyond simple tracking and reporting.
  • the utility and functionality provided by DataTrendzTM is achievable for a network, such as the Internet, having a broad range of differing network locations.
  • network locations may include network servers, website servers, personal computers, mobile devices such as phones capable of accessing the Internet and a host of other network capable devices.
  • DataTrendzTM also provides preferred functionality and utility to other networks such as private intranets where the range of network locations may be more homogenous than that found on the Internet. Therefore, a specific implementation of DataTrendzTM can include virtually any type of network connecting virtually any type of network location to virtually any other type of network location.
  • DataTrendzTM resolves the numerous challenges limiting current tracking approaches while expanding the concept of traffic tracking and analysis beyond the restrictions on network-based traffic.
  • Caching Issue: Some data collection solutions send cached versions of a customer's website in response to an originating request. This approach cannot support complex websites with advanced client-side functionality. Solution: When utilizing an unobtrusive tracking system, no caching is required. In addition, by operating at the socket level, the dynamic requesting, parsing and HTML package creation is as fast as any other network hop in a request chain. [0033] Browser Agnostic. Issue: Using client-side JavaScript or server-side frames - as is the case in current data collection approaches - can lead to browser- dependency issues. Solution: DataTrendzTM does not require anything to be placed on the client's browser that would affect the user interface, therefore there are no browser issues related to this tracking approach.
  • Fig. 1 illustrates a network including a Data Collection System 200.
  • the Data Collection System 200 manages messages sent to and from the Originator System 100 and the Responding System 1100.
  • the network comprises the Internet in either a wired, wireless cellular or other medium.
  • the network is selected from the group comprising: local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN).
  • LAN local area network
  • WAN wide area network
  • Processing Subsystem 300, Global Queue Subsystems 400 and Data Subsystem 500 can exist in separate physical devices or groups of devices. In another embodiment, these subsystems can reside in the same device or in any combination therein.
  • network traffic at the level of a device driver could be re-routed based on in-memory rules to a resulting URI address.
  • DataTrendzTM has the ability to use any domain name externally and route that traffic to a desired internal location without requiring separate URI values.
  • This embodiment can be used to balance traffic to known processing locations either in a symmetric or fixed manner by utilizing processing locations across the same server, local area network, broad area networks or any combination therein.
  • an Originator System sends a request using a Domain Name Source (DNS) Uniform Resource Identifier (URI).
  • DNS Domain Name Source
  • URI Uniform Resource Identifier
  • This URI passes the message to a Geographic Load Balancer 201 on a primary path denoted using a solid path line from the Originator System 100 to the Geographic Load Balancer 201.
  • DNS Domain Name Source
  • URI Uniform Resource Identifier
  • Geographic Load Balancers 201 there can be as many, or even no, Geographic Load Balancers 201 as required in order to ensure full availability and two are shown for explanatory purposes.
  • the Geographic Load Balancers 201 communicate with one another in order to ensure that each Site 203 is running properly and to balance load across regions. If the primary Geographic Load Balancer 201 fails to respond to a user request, the DNS protocol will automatically failover to a secondary Geographic Load Balancer 201 as denoted with the dotted line in Figure 2.
  • Domain Name System is provided as an example of currently implemented means of identifying external resources and it is not intended as a restriction for this invention. This failover process will continue for as many Sites 203 as are provide in the implementation of a given embodiment.
  • a Site Load Balancer is utilized in order to maintain functionality between one or more Processing Subsystems 300. If a given Processing Subsystem 300 fails, all traffic will be diverted to the remaining Processing Subsystems. If all Processing Subsystems within a Site 203 are not processing, the Site Load Balancer 202 will return the message to the Geographic Load Balancer 201 for processing at another Site 203.
  • Data Collection System 200 comprises a server configured to communicate with an Originator System 100 and a Responding System 1100.
  • the Data Collection System 200 dynamically monitors messages transmitted from the Originator System 100 intended for the Responding System 1100 and vice versa.
  • the Data Collection System 200 includes a Port Monitor 301 within the Processing Subsystem 300 as illustrated in Figure 3.
  • Port Monitor 301 when a Port Monitor 301 receives a Request, that Request is port forwarded to one of a plurality of Port Processors 600.
  • there is only one Port Processor 600 in another embodiment there is a plurality of Port Processors 600.
  • the one or more Port Processors 600 exist one on physical device, in another embodiment one or more Port Processors exist on any combination of separate devices. All embodiments are considered to be within the scope of this invention.
  • Port Processor 600 includes a Data Representation 601 which contains mappings between Sub-Domain (SD) values 102 and their corresponding responding Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) 103 as illustrated in Figure 5.
  • a map comprises an in-memory XML File 608 as shown in Figure 6.
  • the in-memory XML File 608 illustrated in Figure 6 is a conceptual representation. As such, it does not indicate a specific number of entries, nor does it indicate all details of the entries. Exact implementations of the Data Representation 601 vary. All of the variations are intended to remain within the scope of the invention.
  • Data Representation 601 comprises Sub-Domain values 102.
  • Each Sub-Domain entry includes a value representing a corresponding responding domain and a target URI.
  • Corresponding URIs are indicated in Figure 6.
  • a URI is one means used used to identify a Responding System 1100.
  • a plurality of Responding Systems 1100 of a network is mapped to corresponding unique Sub-Domain values 102 in Figure 6.
  • a mapped value for a Responding System 1100 Sub-Domain 102 is referred to herein as a "Responding Domain".
  • the map comprises an in- memory XML File 608 comprising URFs 103.
  • the map comprises an XML file comprising responding system Universal Resource Locators.
  • the map is stored in a memory of the Data Collection System 200.
  • the map is stored in a memory of the Port Processor 600.
  • Figure 5 illustrates a general message configuration representative of a type commonly used to communicate via the Internet.
  • Message 107 comprises a Header portion 101, a URI portion 103 and a Page Content portion 104.
  • URI portion 103 comprises a Sub-Domain portion 102, a Base Domain portion 105 and a Query String portion 106.
  • This message is provided as a reference and all combinations or derivatives of this message are considered to be within the domain of this invention, and in preferred embodiments, these messages (and their combinations and derivatives) can enable the inclusion of header information and content.
  • FIG 4 illustrates a Processing Subsystem 600 of the Data Collection System 200 illustrated in Figure 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • the Processing Subsystem 300 comprises a Port Monitor (PM) 301 which forwards traffic to one or more Port Processors 600.
  • a Port Processor 600 consists of a Dynamic Content Management Unit (DCMU) 900, an Event Sink Generator (ESG) 700, a Global Queue Interface 408, an Event Handler Unit (EHU) 1000, Data Representation 601, and a User Agent (UA) 800.
  • DCMU Dynamic Content Management Unit
  • ESG Event Sink Generator
  • EHU Event Handler Unit
  • UUA User Agent
  • a Port Monitor 301 is configured to sense data streams comprising communication over a network.
  • a Port Monitor monitors one or more ports (e.g. port 80, 81, etc.) of Data Collection System 200 to detect network communications traffic.
  • network communications traffic is a message transmitted from an Originator System 100 (illustrated in Figure 1) for information, for example a web page, provided by a Responding System 1100. This communication traffic can be secured or unsecured; wired, wireless or cellular or any other form of communication between two devices on any type of network.
  • the Originator System 100 comprises a user computer.
  • An example of a message from a user computer is a request by a user via an Originator System 100 for a web page provided by a Responding System 1100.
  • the user's request can be directed to a server comprising Data Collection System 200.
  • Note the user's request preferably terminates at Data Collection System 200 though the information requested by the user resides on Responding System 1100.
  • the Port Monitor 301 can detect the network traffic and communicates that information to one or more Port Processors 600 in a load-balanced manner.
  • the Port Processor 600 generates a Request Message in response to a user request detected by the Port Monitor 301.
  • the Port Processor 600 request can be transmitted to a target Responding System 1100, preferably as determined by the mapping found in the Data Representation 601.
  • Responding System 1100 responds to requests from the Port Processor 600 in a synchronous manner.
  • Responding System 1100 directs its responses to the Data Collection System 200 which is captured by the Port Monitor 301 and forwarded to the same Port Processor 600.
  • the EHU 1000 is configured to communicate with the Message Input Unit 609, the DCMU 900, a Data Representation of URI mapping 601 and the Global Queue Interface 408.
  • EHU 1000 carries out a process referred to herein as Event Message Handling.
  • the first step is to parse the subdomain from the incoming URI and to perform a look-up query from the Data Representation 601. If the look-up results in a responding domain, then the incoming request and the responding domain are passed to the DCMU 900 and Global Queue Interface 400 by EHU 1000. If the look-up does not result in a responding domain, the request is passed directly to the Responding System 1100 thereby bypassing data collection and storage mechanisms of Data Collection System 200.
  • EHU 1000 For a request from an Originator System 100 for information from a Responding System 1100, EHU 1000 is configured to carry out the method illustrated in Figure 7. In that case an Originator System 100 sends a request as indicated at 108 of Figure 7 and a Port Monitor 300 receives the request as indicated at 302 of Figure 7. For a response from a Responding System 1100 providing information requested by a Port Processor 600, EHU 1000 is configured to carry out the method illustrated in Figure 9. In that case a Responding System 1100 sends a response as indicated at 1101 of Figure 9. A Port Monitor 301 receives the response as indicated at 303 of Figure 9.
  • the Message Input Unit 609 receives the Message 107 from the Port Monitor 301 as shown in step 605.
  • the EHU 1000 receives from the Port Processor 600 a message representing a request from an Originating System 100.
  • the request comprises a message of the general type illustrated in Figure 5 at 107.
  • EHU 1000 can evaluate the received request by parsing URI 103 of Message 107 to identify a Sub- Domain 102 value (steps 1001-1003 of Figure 7).
  • EHU 1000 determines if Sub- Domain 102 of Message 107 corresponds to a monitored Sub-Domain 102 value.
  • a monitored Sub-Domain 102 value is a value assigned by Data Collection System 200 for a Responding System 1100.
  • EHU 1100 determines the Sub-Domain 102 value in the URI 103 is a monitored Sub-Domain 102 (step 1005 of Figure 7) EHU 1100 sends the Message 107 to Dynamic Content Management Unit (DCMU) 900 ( Figure 7 at step 1007). In addition EHU 1100 provides the Message 107 to Global Cache 400 ( Figure 7 at step 1008.) EHU 1100 makes the determination based on the value of the responding domain. If the Responding System 1100 URI 103 is not in the Data Representation 601, EHU 1100 passes the message to the Responding System 1100.
  • DCMU Dynamic Content Management Unit
  • a Message Input Unit 609 can receive from a Port Monitor 301 a Message 107 representing a response transmitted by a Responding System 1100 in response to a request from that same Port Processor 600 as shown in Figure 9.
  • This Port Processor passes the Message to the EHU 1000 as shown in step 607 in Figure 9.
  • EHU 1000 preferably carries out steps illustrated in Figure 9.
  • EHU 1100 determines if a Sub-Domain 102 value in the Message 107 is in the Data Representation 601 as indicated in steps 1009, 1002 and 1003 of Figure 9. EHU 1100 then provides the Message 107 to Global Cache 400 in step 1007 and to DCMU 900 in step 1008.
  • DCMU 900 performs the general functions described below as shown in Figure 10.
  • the DCMU 900 uses the content of the incoming Message 107 as well as the value of the incoming URI 103 to dynamically generate a request. This request is sent to the Responding System 1100 with the DCMU 900 emulating the Originating System 100.
  • the response from the Responding Domain 1100 is captured and temporarily stored as an in-memory Message 107.
  • the content of the response from the Responding System 1100 is used to generate a Message 107 to be sent back to the Originating System 100.
  • Custom Headers 101 as shown in step 802 of Figure 10, are inserted to identify this message in subsequent transmissions.
  • the base URI 103 for all actionable components to be tracked (e.g., JavaScript, Form Post Addresses, Hyperlinks, etc.) is modified to point back to the Data Collection System 200 and port monitored by a Port Monitor 301.
  • the Dynamic Response is sent back to the EHU 1000.
  • FIG 8 illustrates steps of a method carried out by DCMU 900 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • DCMU 900 receives a Message 107 and a Responding System 1100 URI 103 from EHU 1000.
  • DCMU 900 parses the Message 107 into a Header 101 portion and a Page Content 104 portion (indicated at step 902).
  • the Header 101 and Page Content 104 portions are provided to ESG 700.
  • ESG 700 replaces the Sub-Domain (SD) 102 value in the Page Content 104 with the Responding System 1100 URI 103 provided by EHU 1000 (indicated at step 701 of Figure 8).
  • SD Sub-Domain
  • the Message 107 is provided to the User Agent 800 as indicated in Figure 6 at step 801.
  • DCMU 900 creates a new Message 107 envelope as indicated at 903 of Figure 8.
  • DCMU 900 moves the Page Content 104 provided by ESG 700 (at step 702) into the new Message 107 envelope (at step 904).
  • DCMU 900 moves the Header 101 collection provided by ESG 700 (at step 704) into the new Message 107 envelope at step 905. The message is transmitted to a Responding System 1100 in the envelope provided by DCMU 900 in step 900.
  • Fig. 8 illustrates the DCMU 900 process for handling responses from a Responding System 1100.
  • DCMU 900 acts as a client for the Responding System 1100.
  • the DCMU 900 process begins when DCMU 900 receives a Message 107 and an Originator System 100 URI 103 from EHU 1000 as shown in step 907.
  • DCMU 900 parses the responses into a Header 101 collection portion and Page Content 104 portion (step 902).
  • all actionable components of the Page Content 104 portion are modified by DCMU 900 such that the base URI 103 points back to the Data Collection System 200 (step 7-1).
  • Custom Headers 101 are added to the Header 101 collection in step 703 and a new Message 107, referred to herein as a "Dynamic Response Message" is created by DCMU.
  • the Page Content 104 and Header 101 collection information provided in steps 702 and 704 are moved into the new Message 107 and the DCMU 900 provides the resulting Dynamic Response Message to the EHU 1000 (indicated at steps 903- 906).
  • ESG 700 is coupled to DCMU 900. ESG 700 prepares the Dynamic Response to be properly handled by the system in the event of a response from the user. In one embodiment of the invention, ESG 700 performs the following functions.
  • Session Creation If a Session does not already exist for this Dynamic Response, a new Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) is generated and added to the Header 101 Collection. The Session is queried from the Header 101 collection of the Message 107. The Session GUID is entered into the Header 101 collection for the Message 107. Message component collections that contain a DataTrendzTM Session Header value are called "Monitored Responses". The Monitored Response is then sent back to EHU 1000.
  • GUID Globally Unique Identifier
  • the Global Queue 400 stores information about a given request into an in-memory location that is managed and persisted through a Global Queue Manager 409 as shown in Figure 11.
  • the Global Queue can consist of one or more servers either processing individually or in a clustered environment. Separate from the physical implementation of the Global Queue Manager, that Global Queue Manager can manage one or more Global Queues 400 whether those queues reside on the same or separate physical machines.
  • the Global Queue Interface 408 provides a means for an EHU 1000 process to place new Messages 107 onto the queue in a fire-and-forget manner.
  • the Global Cache 400 is a shared system resource accessed by two or more processes.
  • the Global Cache 400 is an asynchronous queuing/caching mechanism used to pass data. All of the embodiments both described in this section and surmised from this review are considered to fall within the scope of this invention.
  • the Global Manager 409 is responsible for monitoring the various queue storage processes within a given Global Queue 400. If any one storage process becomes slow or unresponsive, the Global Queue Manager is responsible for initiating a new queue storage process while gracefully terminating the problematic storage process. This concept is referred to as spinning up and spinning down processes.
  • the Global Queue processes incoming messages using the following steps: Session Determination.
  • the Header 101 collection is queried to determine that a Session exists. If a Session does not already exist for this message, a new Session GUID is generated.
  • the Session GUID is entered into the Header 101 collection for the Message 107.
  • Page Storage An in- memory configuration file is then queried to determine whether or not to store all of the contents of the page. If the page needs to be stored, the context-dependent information (Header Collection, Page Content, Form Content, etc ..) are entered into the database along with the Session ID. Action Storage.
  • FIG. 11 illustrates the operations of the Global Queue 400 according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • a Message 107 is received from EHU 900.
  • the Message 107 is parsed into subcomponents (step 402).
  • the parsed subcomponents are sent to the Global Cache 400 in step 403 and that Global Cache 400 is checked for stored parsed messages in steps 404 and 405.
  • the parsed Message 107 is retrieved from the Global Cache 400 and written into an Archiver server 501.
  • User Agent 800 is manually created by developing a command that points to the Data Collection System 200. It is preferred that the URI 103 in the command contain a valid Responding System 1100 Sub-Domain 102 value in the base domain section. Outside of this rule, User Agent unit 800 is flexible. User Agent unit 800 has a wide variety of implementations. For example, user agent 800 can be implemented in SEM and Banner Ads, hyperlinks on websites, emails and submissions on various sites to name but a few possible implementations. Further, user agent 800 can take the form of binary, TCP, communication protocols and even wireless/cellular transmission addresses as warranted by the implemented network.
  • the Data Subsystem 500 is utilized to capture, store, aggregate and analyze data capture by the Data Collection System 200.
  • the Data Subsystem utilizing a tributary data collection model wherein one or more Archiver Servers 501 are utilized to rapidly transfer Messages 107 from the Global Queue 400 to a more permanent storage mechanism as is shown in Figure 12.
  • the Archiver Server 501 utilizes a relational data store in order to store information.
  • information is written into binary file formats and persisted onto disk.
  • the main purpose of the Archiver Servers 501 is to move in-memory Global Queue 400 messages to a more resilient storage medium.
  • the Staging Database Server 502 pulls information from one or more Archiver Servers 501 for the purpose of loading that data into a Site Data Warehouse or DataMart.
  • the Archiver Server 501 employs a many-to-one relationship with the Staging Database Server 502.
  • the Archiver Server 501 employs a direct one-to-one relationship with the Staging Database Server 502 and in yet another embodiment the Archiver Server 501 employs a one-to-many relationship with a Staging Database Server 502.
  • the Archiver 501 and Staging Database 502 servers can reside on the same physical device utilizing the vendor software platform. In another embodiment the Archiver 501 and Staging Database 502 servers can reside on separate physical devices utilizing the same vendor software. In yet another embodiment, the Archiver 501 and Staging Database 502 servers can employ different vendor software platforms irrespective of their physical location. All of the embodiments both described in this section and surmised from this review are considered to fall within the scope of this invention.
  • the Site Data Warehouse 503 can reside either on the same or separate physical devices and it can employ the same of different vendor software platforms from the Archiver 501 and Staging Database 502 servers.
  • the Site Data Warehouse 503 stores information in an advantageous manner for analyzing traffic in a variety of manners.
  • a Global Data Warehouse 504 can be utilized to consolidate data across various sites.
  • the Global Data Warehouse 503 can reside either on the same or separate physical devices and it can employ the same of different vendor software platforms from the Archiver 501, Staging Database 502 and Site Data Warehouse 503 servers.
  • the Data Collection System 200 implements a system for collecting information transmitted over a network.
  • the Data Collection System 200 communicates with an Originating System 100 over a network to receive a Message 107 having a URI 103 from the Originating System 100 acting in the role of an endpoint server.
  • the Data Collection System 200 determines a Responding System 1100 URI 102 for the Message 107 based upon the incoming Originator System 100 URI 107.
  • the Data Collection System 200 is configured to analyze the contents of the Message 107 and to generate a subsequent Message 107 based on the results of the analysis of the initial Message 107.
  • the Data Collection System 200 stores the context-dependent components of the Originator System 100 Message 107 in a process utilizing a Global Queue 400 while transmitting a subsequent Message 107 to the Responding System 1100 URI 103 acting in the role of an Originating System.
  • Structure is related to the intra- and inter-component definitions found on a given network location.
  • Components can include, but are not limited to, web pages, web services, remotely-accessed software resources and publicly-available sets of data.
  • Structure includes, but is not limited to, how components are linked together as would be found in a web site map or system diagram.
  • Structure also includes how a given component is constructed (e.g. as in the structure of a web page or the structure of a set of API calls) as well as how the content from a given component is presented to a user.
  • Structure in essence, includes everything sent from a given server to a user.
  • Interactions are generally denoted as anything derived from a client action which is either directly or indirectly tracked through the DataTrendzTM invention.
  • a user can send a request or response to a server in which case all information passes through the DataTrendzTM architecture and is subsequently captured as described.
  • asynchronous callback mechanisms client-side scripts such as AJAX or JavaScript, constructs such as ActiveX controls or Java Applets or even downloaded components such as, toolbars and plug-ins, can be used to send information about user interactions to the DataTrendzTM system. This list does not include all possible options rather it is meant to represent a sampling of some of the possible alternatives.
  • Time refers to the ability of the DataTrendzTM invention to track Structure and Interactions over time. This enables a moving view of user activity and enables the ability to obtain patterns of both user behavior and web site responses. [0090] By enabling the capture, storage and analysis of this type of data, DataTrendzTM provides the ability to view data in context to either a server's responses or to various time-dependent measures.
  • the DataTrendzTM invention finds utility through its various embodiments in a wide range of industries. This section will delve into some of those industries, highlighting the enhancements obtained through this invention. This list is not considered to be comprehensive rather it is meant to provide a representative sampling of the application of this invention.
  • DataTrendzTM removes some of the more significant obstacles that impede many current tracking solutions. DataTrendzTM provides the ability to track user interactions without requiring code on the Responding Systems. DataTrendzTM also captures never before acquired data such as contextual data and actual form submission values in relation to site structure. Finally DataTrendzTM can track users across domains without requiring special cookies on the Originating Systems. From Internet/Extranet-based website tracking to Intranet-based Enterprise Content Resource tracking, DataTrendzTM offers significantly enhanced capabilities to track user interactions.
  • Click fraud loosely defines an industry devoted to analyzing patterns of activity in an attempt to determine fraudulent activities. Examples of click fraud include, but are not limited to automated (BOT) programs, scripted click pattern activities and hacker service attacks. Click fraud analyses suffer from a gap between content crawlers that obtain static, structural data of network-enabled sites and current tracking solutions that capture user actions. DataTrendzTM provides the ability to overlay user interactions on top of network-enabled site structure and enables new data algorithmic approaches to determine fraudulent activities. Data Mining will be covered in more detail in the next section.
  • Behavioral Targeting is the name applied to those solution providers that attempt to provide targeted commercial content to users as those users traverse different network sites within a monitored group of sites. For example, if a user traversed a given network of car dealership websites, this approach would eventually determine that the user was interested in a vehicle and ads displaying car option would be provided.
  • the main challenge with behavioral targeting is that it requires a system to track a user across network sites. Prior to DataTrendzTM this meant either using third-party cookies, which most browsers disable by default, or vendors have to try to correlate user information from separately collected data. The ability of DataTrendzTM to actually follow users across network sites enables real-time behavioral targeting not available in the current market.
  • SEM Search Engine Marketing
  • One of the goals of SEM companies is increase sales or leads for target websites.
  • DataTrendzTM is situated between a search engine and a target website and is able to tie the user interactions in with the search engine campaigns.
  • An Internet-based embodiment of this invention is a useful fit for search engines as DataTrendzTM provides significant contextual information for SEM companies.
  • affiliate marketing describes the practice of merchants enabling other online marketers to advertise on the behalf of that merchant.
  • affiliate marketing is built upon the ability to track user actions across a wide range of merchant network sites in order to verify purchases and other user actions. Historically this has been an extremely difficult process that requires lengthy ongoing efforts by both affiliate networks and merchants.
  • DataTrendzTM removes many of these obstacles by removing the need to place code on each merchant's site. Further, since most affiliate marketing networks pass traffic through a series of HTTP redirection processes, DataTrendzTM will actually decrease network visibility while increasing stability and tracking capabilities by eliminating this redirection with a redundant network solution.
  • One of the more interesting innovations underlying this system focuses on resolving the issue of tracking visitors across multiple visits to target network sites.
  • one embodiment of this invention utilizes the concept of an Active Cookie to handle subsequent visits to a given network site.
  • An Active Cookie is a small utility which can be manually downloaded, automatically installed or some combination therein onto a user's computer. This utility leverages an internal list of user-visited network sites to be tracked while monitoring network activity by the user.
  • this utility automatically redirects that user to the DataTrendzTM system wherein tracking is reinitialized.
  • the Active Cookie does not interact with the user's computer nor is it capable of any other action.
  • this utility can take the form of a browser plug- in, ActiveX or Java Applet which monitors all network traffic for a given web browser. These objects are considered to be examples and not restrictive.
  • DataTrendzTM would send an executable file as part of the response to an Originating System. This executable would be embedded as an image or some other file format that would avoid security issues with the user. This executable would then embed itself on the user computer in a manner similar to current cookie technology and monitor traffic accordingly.
  • Active Cookies might be implemented and not provided for example only. They are not considered to be an exhaustive list of possible implementation alternatives and all other alternatives are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

Abstract

La présente invention concerne généralement des procédés et des systèmes discrets pour collecter des informations transmises sur un réseau au moyen d’un système de collecte de données résidant entre un système d’origine et un système répondant. Dans un mode de réalisation, le système d’origine peut être un navigateur Web et le système répondant peut être un serveur Web. Dans un autre mode de réalisation, le système d’origine peut être un ordinateur local et le système répondant peut être un autre ordinateur sur le réseau. Ces deux configurations et d’autres sont considérées comme étant dans le domaine de la présente invention. Le système de collecte de données agit d’une manière hybride point à point/client-serveur lors de la réponse au système d’origine en tant que système répondant tout en agissant en tant que système d’origine pour le système répondant. Cette configuration permet d’acquérir et de mémoriser en temps réel des informations de trafic de réseau d’une manière totalement discrète sans nécessiter de code côté serveur ou côté client.
PCT/US2008/060379 2008-04-15 2008-04-15 Procédés et systèmes discrets de collecte d’informations transmises sur un réseau WO2009128820A1 (fr)

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2008/060379 WO2009128820A1 (fr) 2008-04-15 2008-04-15 Procédés et systèmes discrets de collecte d’informations transmises sur un réseau

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Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030051026A1 (en) * 2001-01-19 2003-03-13 Carter Ernst B. Network surveillance and security system
US7020719B1 (en) * 2000-03-24 2006-03-28 Netli, Inc. System and method for high-performance delivery of Internet messages by selecting first and second specialized intermediate nodes to optimize a measure of communications performance between the source and the destination

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7020719B1 (en) * 2000-03-24 2006-03-28 Netli, Inc. System and method for high-performance delivery of Internet messages by selecting first and second specialized intermediate nodes to optimize a measure of communications performance between the source and the destination
US20030051026A1 (en) * 2001-01-19 2003-03-13 Carter Ernst B. Network surveillance and security system

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