Tracking a user across both secure and non-secure areas on the Internet, wherein the users is initially tracked using a globally unique identifier

Claim 1

A method of tracking a user on a client computer as the user accesses secure and non-secure areas on a network server computer, comprising the steps of: upon first accessing a non-secure area, assigning a token representing the user wherein the token does not contain a user identification and using the token as a key for accessing a database entry associated with the user on the server computer; upon first accessing the secure area, receiving a user identification associated with the user; after accessing the secured area, replacing the token with the user identification as the key to the database entry; and the database entry including customization information associated with the user.

Claim 2

A method of tracking a user on a client computer as the user accesses secure and non-secure areas on a network server computer, comprising the steps of: upon first accessing a non-secure area, assigning a token representing the user wherein the token does not contain a user identification and using the token as a key for accessing a database entry associated with the user on the server computer; upon first accessing the secure area, receiving a user identification associated with the user; after accessing the secured area, replacing the token with the user identification as the key to the database entry; and the database entry including customization information associated with the user.

Claim 13

A method of tracking a user on a computer network, comprising the steps of: connecting to the computer network from the client computer, the computer network having a plurality of server computers associated with a plurality of content providers; assigning a token to the user;: accessing a secure area on a server computer having a predetermined network address; requesting a user identification from the user; upon receiving the user identification from the user, providing a database entry that is accessible by using the user identification; storing the user identification and the token on the client computer, the user identification being passed to the server when the user subsequently accesses the predetermined network address; receiving from the client computer, both the token and the user identification.

Claim 14

A method of tracking a user on a computer network, comprising the steps of: connecting to the computer network from the client computer, the computer network having a plurality of server computers associated with a plurality of content providers; assigning a token to the user;: accessing a secure area on a server computer having a predetermined network address; requesting a user identification from the user; upon receiving the user identification from the user, providing a database entry that is accessible by using the user identification; storing the user identification and the token on the client computer, the user identification being passed to the server when the user subsequently accesses the predetermined network address; receiving from the client computer, both the token and the user identification.

Claim 19

A method of tracking user access of secure and non-secure areas on a network server computer, comprising the steps of: during first accessing of a non-secure area on the server, storing a globally unique identifier, associated with the user, in local storage on a client computer; storing information associated with the user's browsing characteristics in a database entry on the server computer using the globally unique identifier as a key to accessing the stored information; during first accessing a secure area on the server, requesting a user identification and a user password as a prerequisite to entering the secure area; changing the key to the database entry from the globally unique identifier to the user identification; storing the user identification and the globally unique identifier in the local storage on the client computer; storing a copy of the globally unique identifier in the database entry; during subsequent accessing of the non-secure area, receiving the user identification and the globally unique identifier from the client computer; accessing the database using the user identification; comparing the copy of the globally unique identifier in the database entry to the globally unique identifier received from the client computer; if both globally unique identifiers match, providing personalized content to the user and if both globally unique identifiers do not match, providing generic content to the user.

Claim 20

A method of tracking user access of secure and non-secure areas on a network server computer, comprising the steps of: during first accessing of a non-secure area on the server, storing a globally unique identifier, associated with the user, in local storage on a client computer; storing information associated with the user's browsing characteristics in a database entry on the server computer using the globally unique identifier as a key to accessing the stored information; during first accessing a secure area on the server, requesting a user identification and a user password as a prerequisite to entering the secure area; changing the key to the database entry from the globally unique identifier to the user identification; storing the user identification and the globally unique identifier in the local storage on the client computer; storing a copy of the globally unique identifier in the database entry; during subsequent accessing of the non-secure area, receiving the user identification and the globally unique identifier from the client computer; accessing the database using the user identification; comparing the copy of the globally unique identifier in the database entry to the globally unique identifier received from the client computer; if both globally unique identifiers match, providing personalized content to the user and if both globally unique identifiers do not match, providing generic content to the user.

Claim 24

A method of tracking a user on a client computer as the user accesses secure and non-secure areas on a network server computer, comprising the steps of: upon first accessing a non-secure area, assigning a token representing the user and using the token as a key for accessing a database entry associated with the user on the server computer; upon first accessing the secure area, receiving a user identification associated with the user; replacing the token with the user identification as the key to the database entry; storing the token, the user identification, and a network address associated with the server computer in local storage on the client computer; receiving the token and the user identification from the client computer upon subsequent accessing by the user of the network address; upon first accessing the non-secure or secure areas on the server computer, storing customization information associated with the user in the database entry; upon subsequent accessing of the non-secure or secure areas, retrieving the customization information stored in the database entry by using the user identification to access the database entry; returning to the client computer, a document customized according to the customization information; storing a copy of the token within the database entry; upon subsequent accessing of the server computer, comparing the copy of the token stored in the database entry to the token received from the client computer; if the tokens match, returning a document customized according to the customization information to the client computer; and if the tokens do not match, returning a generic, uncustomized document to the client computer.

Claim 25

A method of tracking a user on a client computer as the user accesses secure and non-secure areas on a network server computer, comprising the steps of: upon first accessing a non-secure area, assigning a token representing the user and using the token as a key for accessing a database entry associated with the user on the server computer; upon first accessing the secure area, receiving a user identification associated with the user; replacing the token with the user identification as the key to the database entry; storing the token, the user identification, and a network address associated with the server computer in local storage on the client computer; receiving the token and the user identification from the client computer upon subsequent accessing by the user of the network address; upon first accessing the non-secure or secure areas on the server computer, storing customization information associated with the user in the database entry; upon subsequent accessing of the non-secure or secure areas, retrieving the customization information stored in the database entry by using the user identification to access the database entry; returning to the client computer, a document customized according to the customization information; storing a copy of the token within the database entry; upon subsequent accessing of the server computer, comparing the copy of the token stored in the database entry to the token received from the client computer; if the tokens match, returning a document customized according to the customization information to the client computer; and if the tokens do not match, returning a generic, uncustomized document to the client computer.

Claim 26

A method of tracking a user on a client computer as the user accesses secure and non-secure areas on a network server computer, comprising the steps of: upon first accessing a non-secure area, assigning a token representing the user and using the token as a key for accessing a database entry associated with the user on the server computer; upon first accessing the secure area, receiving a user identification associated with the user; replacing the token with the user identification as the key to the database entry; during first accessing of the server computer, obtaining customization information from the user; storing the customization information in the database entry; prior to accessing the secure area: (a) receiving the token from the client computer; (b) accessing the database entry on the server computer using the token; and (c) returning a document to the client computer that is customized in accordance with the customization information stored in the database entry; after accessing the secure area: (a) receiving the user identification and the token from the local storage on the client computer; (b) accessing the database entry on the server computer using the user identification; and (c) checking the token received from the client computer by comparing the token to information stored within the database entry.

Claim 27

A method of tracking a user on a client computer as the user accesses secure and non-secure areas on a network server computer, comprising the steps of: upon first accessing a non-secure area, assigning a token representing the user and using the token as a key for accessing a database entry associated with the user on the server computer; upon first accessing the secure area, receiving a user identification associated with the user; replacing the token with the user identification as the key to the database entry; during first accessing of the server computer, obtaining customization information from the user; storing the customization information in the database entry; prior to accessing the secure area: (a) receiving the token from the client computer; (b) accessing the database entry on the server computer using the token; and (c) returning a document to the client computer that is customized in accordance with the customization information stored in the database entry; after accessing the secure area: (a) receiving the user identification and the token from the local storage on the client computer; (b) accessing the database entry on the server computer using the user identification; and (c) checking the token received from the client computer by comparing the token to information stored within the database entry.

Claim 30

A method of tracking a user on a computer network, comprising the steps of: connecting to the computer network from the client computer, the computer network having a plurality of server computers associated with a plurality of content providers; accessing a secure area on a server computer having a predetermined network address; requesting a user identification from the user; upon receiving the user identification from the user, providing a database entry that is accessible by using the user identification; storing the user identification on the client computer, the user identification being passed to the server when the user subsequently accesses the predetermined network address; accessing a non-secure area on the server computer and assigning a token associated with the user; storing the token and the user identification on the client computer; and upon subsequent accessing of the non-secure area, receiving, from the client computer, the token and the user identifier.

Claim 31

A method of tracking a user on a computer network, comprising the steps of: connecting to the computer network from the client computer, the computer network having a plurality of server computers associated with a plurality of content providers; accessing a secure area on a server computer having a predetermined network address; requesting a user identification from the user; upon receiving the user identification from the user, providing a database entry that is accessible by using the user identification; storing the user identification on the client computer, the user identification being passed to the server when the user subsequently accesses the predetermined network address; accessing a non-secure area on the server computer and assigning a token associated with the user; storing the token and the user identification on the client computer; and upon subsequent accessing of the non-secure area, receiving, from the client computer, the token and the user identifier.

Claim 32

A method of tracking a user on a client computer as the user accesses secure and non-secure areas on a network server computer, comprising the steps of: upon first accessing a non-secure area, assigning a token representing the user and using the token as a key for accessing a database entry associated with the user on the server computer; upon first accessing the secure area, receiving a user identification associated with the user; replacing the token with the user identification as the key to the database entry; storing customization information associated with the user in the database entry; storing a copy of the token within the database entry and comparing the copy with a token received from the client computer; if the tokens match, returning a document customized according to the customization information; and if the tokens do not match, returning a generic, uncustomized document to the client computer.

Claim 33

A method of tracking a user on a client computer as the user accesses secure and non-secure areas on a network server computer, comprising the steps of: upon first accessing a non-secure area, assigning a token representing the user and using the token as a key for accessing a database entry associated with the user on the server computer; upon first accessing the secure area, receiving a user identification associated with the user; replacing the token with the user identification as the key to the database entry; storing customization information associated with the user in the database entry; storing a copy of the token within the database entry and comparing the copy with a token received from the client computer; if the tokens match, returning a document customized according to the customization information; and if the tokens do not match, returning a generic, uncustomized document to the client computer.