Patent US6138155A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6138155A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for tracking client interaction with a network resource and creating client profiles and resource database
Assignee: DOT COM DEVELOPMENT Inc A NEW YORK Corp
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Filing: 1998-07-21
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Granted: 2000-10-24
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Expires: 2018-07-21
Abstract
Abstract A method for monitoring client interaction with a resource downloaded from a server in a computer network includes the steps of using a client to specify an address of a resource located on a first server, downloading a file corresponding to the resource from the first server in response to specification of the address, using the client to specify an address of a first executable program located on a second server, the address of the first executable program being embedded in the file downloaded from the first server, the first executable program including a software timer for monitoring the amount of time the client spends interacting with and displaying the file downloaded from the first server, downloading the first executable program from the second server to run on the client so as to determine the amount of time the client interacts with the file downloaded from the first server, using a server to acquire client identifying indicia from the client, and uploading the amount of time determined by the first executable program to a third server. The first executable program may also monitor time, keyboard events, mouse events, and the like, in order to track choices and selections made by a user in the file, and may execute upon the occurrence of a predetermined event, as well as monitoring or determining the amount of information downloaded by the client.
Inventors
- 👤 Owen Davis
- 👤 Vidyut Jain
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 16:19
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/06; G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F11/00; G06F11/30; G06F11/34; G06F11/3409; G06F11/3419; G06F11/3438; G06F11/3466; G06F11/3495; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/953; G06F16/9535; G06F16/957; G06F16/9574; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; H04L61/00; H04L61/30; H04L61/35; H04L67/02; H04L67/2866; H04L67/30; H04L67/306; H04L67/34; H04L67/50; H04L67/535; G06F2201/00; G06F2201/875; H04L67/10; H04L67/1001; H04L67/10015; H04L67/1029; H04L67/14; H04L67/142; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 57
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
In a network having one or more servers connectable to one or more clients, a method of monitoring use by a first client of a resource located on a first server and downloaded to the first client, the method comprising: downloading from a second server to the first client an executable program to monitor use of the resource and generate data representing use of the resource by the first client, the first server and second server comprising two servers and the executable program not being part of the resource; obtaining at a third server client identifying indicia from the first client; and receiving at the third server the resource use data generated by the executable program.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
In a network having one or more servers connectable to one or more clients, a method of monitoring use by a first client of a resource located on a first server and downloaded to the first client, the method comprising: downloading from a second server to the first client an executable program to monitor use of the resource and generate data representing use of the resource by the first client, the first server and second server comprising two servers and the executable program not being part of the resource; obtaining at a third server client identifying indicia from the first client; and receiving at the third server the resource use data generated by the executable program.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the resource accepts user action, and wherein the executable program monitors one or more user actions taken during use of the resource by the first client.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the executable program monitors a first time representing a time at which a first user action is taken during use of the resource by the first client.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the executable program monitors a second time representing a time at which a second user action is taken during use of the resource by the first client.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the executable program computes an amount of time as the difference between the first and second times.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the executable program monitors one or more user actions taken through a keyboard during use of the resource by the first client.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the executable program monitors one or more user actions taken through a mouse during use of the resource by the first client.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the executable program generates resource use data comprising data identifying the one or more user actions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the resource use data comprises data other than data used by the resource.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, comprising the third server storing the resource use data received from the first client in association with the client identifying indicia obtained from the first client.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 10, comprising using the stored resource use data to generate first client specific data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 11, comprising downloading the first client specific data to the first client upon a subsequent download of the resource to the first client.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 11, comprising downloading a subset of the first client specific data to the first client upon a subsequent download of the resource to the first client.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 11, comprising selecting a second resource to be downloaded to the first client based upon the first client specific data and downloading the second resource to the first client.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the executable program counts how many times the resource is used.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the executable program counts how many times the resource is displayed by the client.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the executable program counts how many times the resource is requested by the client.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the resource use data comprises data representative of a plurality of preferences of a user.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the resource use data comprises data representative of a plurality of interests of a user.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the resource use data comprises data which does not affect a user's contemporaneous experience of the resource.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating resource use data does not require the active participation of a user.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating resource use data comprises the automatic determination of a user's preferences.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a computer network.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a communications network.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the executable program is implemented in the Java programming language.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the resource may be displayed on the first client, and wherein the executable program monitors a start time representing a time at which the resource was first displayed on the first client.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 26, wherein the executable program monitors a stop time representing a time at which the resource ceased to be first displayed on the first client.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 27, wherein the executable program computes an amount of time as the difference between the start and stop times.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the executable program is locatable at a first address on the second server, and wherein the step of downloading the executable program to the first client comprises downloading the executable program in response to a specification of the first address by the first client.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 29, wherein the resource corresponds to a file and the first address is embedded in the file.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the resource allows a client to download information from a server, and wherein the executable program monitors an amount of information downloaded by the first client using the resource and generates resource use data representing the amount of downloaded information.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, comprising determining an amount to charge the first client based on the use resource data received from the first client.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
122 words
In a computer network having one or more servers connectable to one or more clients, a method of monitoring use by a first client of a resource located on a first server and downloaded to the first client, the method comprising: executing on the first client an executable program downloaded from a second server to monitor use of the resource and generate data representing use of the resource by the first client, the first server and second server comprising two servers and the executable program not being part of the resource; transmitting from the first client to a third server client identifying indicia; and transmitting from the first client to the third server the resource use data generated by the executable program.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
122 words
In a computer network having one or more servers connectable to one or more clients, a method of monitoring use by a first client of a resource located on a first server and downloaded to the first client, the method comprising: executing on the first client an executable program downloaded from a second server to monitor use of the resource and generate data representing use of the resource by the first client, the first server and second server comprising two servers and the executable program not being part of the resource; transmitting from the first client to a third server client identifying indicia; and transmitting from the first client to the third server the resource use data generated by the executable program.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 33, wherein the resource accepts user actions, and comprising the executable program monitoring one or more user actions taken during use of the resource by the first client.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 34, comprising the executable program monitoring a first time representing a time at which a first user action is taken during use of the resource by the first client.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 35, comprising the executable program monitoring a second time representing a time at which a second user action is taken during use of the resource by the first client.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 36, comprising the executable program computing an amount of time as the difference between the first and second times.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 34, comprising the executable program generating resource use data comprising data identifying the one or more user actions.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 34, comprising the first client receiving first client specific data upon a subsequent download of the resource to the first client, the first client specific data being generated from the resource use data transmitted by the first client.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 34, comprising the first client downloading a second resource, the second resource being selected based at least in part upon the resource use data transmitted by the first client.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 33, wherein the resource may be displayed on the first client, comprising displaying the resource on the first client and the executable program monitoring a start time representing a time at which the resource was first displayed on the first client.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 41, comprising the executable program monitoring a stop time representing a time at which the resource ceased to be first displayed on the first client.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 42, comprising the executable program computing an amount of time as the difference between the start and stop times.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 33, wherein the executable program is locatable at a first address on the second server, and comprising downloading first client specifying the first address and downloading the executable program in response to a specification of the first address.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 44, wherein the resource corresponds to a file and the first address is embedded in the file.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 33, wherein the resource allows a client to download information from a server, and comprising the executable program monitoring an amount of information downloaded by the first client using the resource and generating resource use data representing the amount of downloaded information.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 33, comprising determining an amount to charge the first client based on the use resource data received from the first client.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
118 words
In a network having one or more servers connectable to one or more clients, a method of monitoring use by a first client of a resource located on a first server and which may be stored in a cache, the method comprising: downloading from a second server to the first client an executable program to monitor use of the resource and generate data representing use of the resource by the first client, the first server and second server comprising two servers and the executable program not being part of the resource; obtaining at a third server client identifying indicia from the first client; and receiving at the third server the resource use data generated by the executable program.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
118 words
In a network having one or more servers connectable to one or more clients, a method of monitoring use by a first client of a resource located on a first server and which may be stored in a cache, the method comprising: downloading from a second server to the first client an executable program to monitor use of the resource and generate data representing use of the resource by the first client, the first server and second server comprising two servers and the executable program not being part of the resource; obtaining at a third server client identifying indicia from the first client; and receiving at the third server the resource use data generated by the executable program.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 48, wherein the step of monitoring use of the resource comprises monitoring the number of times the resource is used or requested.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 48, wherein the step of monitoring use of the resource comprises monitoring the number of times the resource is retrieved from the first server or from cache.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
118 words
In a network having one or more servers connectable to one or more clients, a method of monitoring use by a first client of a resource located on a first server and which may be stored in a cache, the method comprising: downloading from a second server to the first client an executable program to monitor use of the resource and generate data representing use of the resource by the first client, the first server and second server comprising two servers and the executable program not being part of the resource; obtaining at a third server a resource identification from the first client; and receiving at the third server the resource use data generated by the executable program.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
118 words
In a network having one or more servers connectable to one or more clients, a method of monitoring use by a first client of a resource located on a first server and which may be stored in a cache, the method comprising: downloading from a second server to the first client an executable program to monitor use of the resource and generate data representing use of the resource by the first client, the first server and second server comprising two servers and the executable program not being part of the resource; obtaining at a third server a resource identification from the first client; and receiving at the third server the resource use data generated by the executable program.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 51, wherein the step of monitoring use of the resource comprises monitoring the number of times the resource is used or requested.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 51, wherein the step of monitoring use of the resource comprises monitoring the number of times the resource is retrieved from the first server or from cache.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-10-24 | 2004-04-24 | 2004-10-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-10-24 | 2008-04-24 | 2008-10-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-10-24 | 2012-04-24 | 2012-10-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |