Method and system for the collection of cookies and other information from a panel

Claim 1

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein each web site stores a corresponding central facility sub-server, and wherein the central facility stores a web page, and wherein the web page contains a URL of each web site, and wherein each panel member is arranged to access the web page and to respond to the URLs of the web page by transmitting to the web sites any panel member cookies which the panel member has stored and which correspond to the URLs, and wherein the web sites are arranged to receive client cookies, to compare the client cookies to the panel member cookies, and to transmit to the central facility access information corresponding to the panel, member cookies that match the client cookies.

Claim 2

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein each web site stores a corresponding central facility sub-server, and wherein the central facility stores a web page, and wherein the web page contains a URL of each web site, and wherein each panel member is arranged to access the web page and to respond to the URLs of the web page by transmitting to the web sites any panel member cookies which the panel member has stored and which correspond to the URLs, and wherein the web sites are arranged to receive client cookies, to compare the client cookies to the panel member cookies, and to transmit to the central facility access information corresponding to the panel, member cookies that match the client cookies.

Claim 4

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein each web site stores a corresponding central facility sub-server, and wherein the panel members are arranged to transmit to the web sites any panel member cookies which the panel members have stored and which correspond to the web sites and wherein the web sites are arranged to receive client cookies, to compare the client cookies to the panel member cookies, and to transmit to the central facility access information corresponding the panel member cookies that match the client cookies.

Claim 5

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein each web site stores a corresponding central facility sub-server, and wherein the panel members are arranged to transmit to the web sites any panel member cookies which the panel members have stored and which correspond to the web sites and wherein the web sites are arranged to receive client cookies, to compare the client cookies to the panel member cookies, and to transmit to the central facility access information corresponding the panel member cookies that match the client cookies.

Claim 7

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein each web site stores a corresponding central facility sub-server, and wherein the panel members are arranged to transmit to the web sites any panel member cookies which the panel members have stored and which correspond to the web sites and wherein the web sites are arranged to receive client cookies, to compare the client cookies to the panel member cookies, and to transmit to the central facility access information only about those client cookies matching the panel member cookies.

Claim 8

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein each web site stores a corresponding central facility sub-server, and wherein the panel members are arranged to transmit to the web sites any panel member cookies which the panel members have stored and which correspond to the web sites and wherein the web sites are arranged to receive client cookies, to compare the client cookies to the panel member cookies, and to transmit to the central facility access information only about those client cookies matching the panel member cookies.

Claim 9

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein the central facility stores a web page, and wherein the web page contains a URL of each web site, and wherein each panel member is arranged to access the web page and to respond to the URLs in the web page by transmitting to the central facility any cookies which the panel member has stored and which correspond to the received URLs, and wherein each web site.is arranged (i) to download cookies from the central facility; (ii) to compare the downloaded cookies to log entries regarding messages received from clients of the web site, and (iii) to transmit to the central facility that part of the log entries corresponding to the down loaded cookies.

Claim 10

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein the central facility stores a web page, and wherein the web page contains a URL of each web site, and wherein each panel member is arranged to access the web page and to respond to the URLs in the web page by transmitting to the central facility any cookies which the panel member has stored and which correspond to the received URLs, and wherein each web site.is arranged (i) to download cookies from the central facility; (ii) to compare the downloaded cookies to log entries regarding messages received from clients of the web site, and (iii) to transmit to the central facility that part of the log entries corresponding to the down loaded cookies.

Claim 12

A system.comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein the central facility stores a web page, and wherein the web page contains a URL of each web site, and wherein each panel member is arranged to access the web page and to respond to the URLs in the web page by transmitting to the central facility any cookies which the panel member has stored and which correspond to the received URLs, and wherein each web site is arranged (i) to download cookies from the central facility, (ii) to compare the downloaded cookies to log entries regarding messages received from clients of the web site, and (iii) to transmit to the central facility only that part of the log entries corresponding to the down loaded cookies.

Claim 13

A system.comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein the central facility stores a web page, and wherein the web page contains a URL of each web site, and wherein each panel member is arranged to access the web page and to respond to the URLs in the web page by transmitting to the central facility any cookies which the panel member has stored and which correspond to the received URLs, and wherein each web site is arranged (i) to download cookies from the central facility, (ii) to compare the downloaded cookies to log entries regarding messages received from clients of the web site, and (iii) to transmit to the central facility only that part of the log entries corresponding to the down loaded cookies.

Claim 14

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from.each web site to the central facility, and wherein each panel member is arranged to transmit to the central facility any cookies which the panel member has stored and which correspond to the web sites, and wherein each web site is arranged (i) to download cookies from the central facility, (ii) to compare the downloaded cookies to log entries regarding messages received from clients of the web site, and (iii) to transmit to the central facility that part of the log entries corresponding to the down loaded cookies.

Claim 15

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from.each web site to the central facility, and wherein each panel member is arranged to transmit to the central facility any cookies which the panel member has stored and which correspond to the web sites, and wherein each web site is arranged (i) to download cookies from the central facility, (ii) to compare the downloaded cookies to log entries regarding messages received from clients of the web site, and (iii) to transmit to the central facility that part of the log entries corresponding to the down loaded cookies.

Claim 17

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in.a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein each web site is arranged (i) to download cookies from the central facility, (ii) to compare the downloaded cookies to log entries regarding messages received from clients of the web site, and (iii) to transmit to the central facility that part of the log entries corresponding to the down loaded cookies.

Claim 18

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in.a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein each web site is arranged (i) to download cookies from the central facility, (ii) to compare the downloaded cookies to log entries regarding messages received from clients of the web site, and (iii) to transmit to the central facility that part of the log entries corresponding to the down loaded cookies.

Claim 20

A system comprising panel members, web sites,.and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie-information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein each panel member is arranged to transmit panel member cookie/ID pairs to the web sites, and wherein each web site is arranged (i) to compare the panel member cookies of the cookie/ID pairs to client cookies received from clients of the web site and (ii) to transmit to the central facility only access information corresponding to the panel member cookies that matching the client cookies.

Claim 21

A system comprising panel members, web sites,.and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility is arranged to collect cookie information and access information regarding usage of the web sites by the panel members, and wherein the collected cookie-information and access information is stored by each web site and transmitted from each web site to the central facility, and wherein each panel member is arranged to transmit panel member cookie/ID pairs to the web sites, and wherein each web site is arranged (i) to compare the panel member cookies of the cookie/ID pairs to client cookies received from clients of the web site and (ii) to transmit to the central facility only access information corresponding to the panel member cookies that matching the client cookies.

Claim 23

A method of collecting access information relating to access by panel members to a plurality of web sites comprising the following steps: a) identifying each panel member with a unique identifier and accessing, by each of the panel members, a web page stored at a central facility, wherein the-web page contains a URL for each of the web sites to be monitored; b) in response to step a), transmitting, from-each panel member, either to each of the web sites corresponding to the URLs of the web page or to the central facility, any panel member cookies which the panel member has stored and which corresponds to the web sites; c) accumulating at each of the web sites access information relating to the panel members, wherein said access information corresponds to each said unique identifier; and, d) transmitting, from each of the web sites to the central facility, the -accumulated access information, wherein step b) comprises the step of transmitting, from each panel member to each of the web sites corresponding to the URLs of the web-page, any panel.member cookies. V which the panel member has stored and which correspond to the URLs,a and wherein step c) comprises the -steps of comparing client cookies, which are received from clients of the web sites, to the panel member cookies, and transmitting to the central facility access information corresponding to the panel member cookies that match the client cookies.

Claim 24

A method of collecting access information relating to access by panel members to a plurality of web sites comprising the following steps: a) identifying each panel member with a unique identifier and accessing, by each of the panel members, a web page stored at a central facility, wherein the-web page contains a URL for each of the web sites to be monitored; b) in response to step a), transmitting, from-each panel member, either to each of the web sites corresponding to the URLs of the web page or to the central facility, any panel member cookies which the panel member has stored and which corresponds to the web sites; c) accumulating at each of the web sites access information relating to the panel members, wherein said access information corresponds to each said unique identifier; and, d) transmitting, from each of the web sites to the central facility, the -accumulated access information, wherein step b) comprises the step of transmitting, from each panel member to each of the web sites corresponding to the URLs of the web-page, any panel.member cookies. V which the panel member has stored and which correspond to the URLs,a and wherein step c) comprises the -steps of comparing client cookies, which are received from clients of the web sites, to the panel member cookies, and transmitting to the central facility access information corresponding to the panel member cookies that match the client cookies.

Claim 26

A method of collecting access.information relating to access by panel members to a plurality of web sites comprising the following steps: a) identifying each panel member with a unique identifier and accessing, by each of the panel members, a web page stored at a central facility, wherein the web page contains a URL for each of the web sites to be monitored; b) in response to step a), transmitting, from each panel member, either to each of the web sites corresponding to the URLs of the web page or to the central facility, any panel member cookies which the panel member has stored and which corresponds to the web sites; c) accumulating at each of the web sites access information relating to the panel members, wherein said access information corresponds to each said unique identifier; and, d) transmitting, from each of the web sites to the central facility, the accumulated access information, wherein step b) comprises the step of transmitting, from each panel member to each of the web sites corresponding to the URLs of the web page, any panel member cookies which the panel member has stored and which correspond to the URLs, and where in step c) comprises the steps of comparing client cookies, which are. Received from clients of the web sites,: to the panel member cookies, and transmitting to the central facility only access information corresponding to the panel member cookies that match the client cookies.

Claim 27

A method of collecting access.information relating to access by panel members to a plurality of web sites comprising the following steps: a) identifying each panel member with a unique identifier and accessing, by each of the panel members, a web page stored at a central facility, wherein the web page contains a URL for each of the web sites to be monitored; b) in response to step a), transmitting, from each panel member, either to each of the web sites corresponding to the URLs of the web page or to the central facility, any panel member cookies which the panel member has stored and which corresponds to the web sites; c) accumulating at each of the web sites access information relating to the panel members, wherein said access information corresponds to each said unique identifier; and, d) transmitting, from each of the web sites to the central facility, the accumulated access information, wherein step b) comprises the step of transmitting, from each panel member to each of the web sites corresponding to the URLs of the web page, any panel member cookies which the panel member has stored and which correspond to the URLs, and where in step c) comprises the steps of comparing client cookies, which are. Received from clients of the web sites,: to the panel member cookies, and transmitting to the central facility only access information corresponding to the panel member cookies that match the client cookies.

Claim 28

A method of collecting access information relating to access by panel members to a plurality of web sites comprising the following steps: a) identifying each panel member with a unique identifier and accessing, by each of the panel members, a web page stored at a central facility, wherein the web page contains a URL for each of the web sites to be monitored; b) in response to step a), transmitting, from each panel member, either to each of the web sites corresponding to the URLs of the web page or to the central facility, any panel member cookies which the panel member has stored and which corresponds to the web sites; c) accumulating at each of the web sites access information relating to the panel members, wherein said access information corresponds to each said unique identifier; and, d) transmitting, from each of the web sites to the central facility, the accumulated access information, wherein step c) comprises the steps of downloading to the web sites the panel member cookies, comparing client cookies in log entries to the downloaded panel member cookies, and transmitting to the central facility access information from only the log entries corresponding to the down loaded panel member cookies.

Claim 29

A method of collecting access information relating to access by panel members to a plurality of web sites comprising the following steps: a) identifying each panel member with a unique identifier and accessing, by each of the panel members, a web page stored at a central facility, wherein the web page contains a URL for each of the web sites to be monitored; b) in response to step a), transmitting, from each panel member, either to each of the web sites corresponding to the URLs of the web page or to the central facility, any panel member cookies which the panel member has stored and which corresponds to the web sites; c) accumulating at each of the web sites access information relating to the panel members, wherein said access information corresponds to each said unique identifier; and, d) transmitting, from each of the web sites to the central facility, the accumulated access information, wherein step c) comprises the steps of downloading to the web sites the panel member cookies, comparing client cookies in log entries to the downloaded panel member cookies, and transmitting to the central facility access information from only the log entries corresponding to the down loaded panel member cookies.

Claim 31

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein each of the web sites stores a central facility sub-server, said central facility sub-server being configured to allow the transmission of cookie information corresponding to each said web site to said central facility, wherein the central facility is arranged to initiate the transmission of panel member cookies from the panel members to the web sites, and wherein each of the central facility sub-servers is arranged to detect client cookies contained in incoming messages, to compare the panel member cookies to the client cookies, and to transmit to the central facility access information corresponding to the panel member cookies that match the client cookies.

Claim 32

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein each of the web sites stores a central facility sub-server, said central facility sub-server being configured to allow the transmission of cookie information corresponding to each said web site to said central facility, wherein the central facility is arranged to initiate the transmission of panel member cookies from the panel members to the web sites, and wherein each of the central facility sub-servers is arranged to detect client cookies contained in incoming messages, to compare the panel member cookies to the client cookies, and to transmit to the central facility access information corresponding to the panel member cookies that match the client cookies.

Claim 33

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility stores a central facility sub-server associated with the web sites, said central facility sub-server being configured to allow the transmission of cookie information corresponding to each said web site to said central facility, wherein the central facility is arranged to initiate the transmission of panel member cookies from the panel members to the central facility, and wherein each of the web sites is arranged to download panel member cookies from the central facility, to compare the panel member cookies to client cookies corresponding to log entries, and to transmit to the central facility access information from the log entries that correspond to the client cookies which match the panel member cookies.

Claim 34

A system comprising panel members, web sites, and a central facility interconnected in a network, wherein the central facility stores a central facility sub-server associated with the web sites, said central facility sub-server being configured to allow the transmission of cookie information corresponding to each said web site to said central facility, wherein the central facility is arranged to initiate the transmission of panel member cookies from the panel members to the central facility, and wherein each of the web sites is arranged to download panel member cookies from the central facility, to compare the panel member cookies to client cookies corresponding to log entries, and to transmit to the central facility access information from the log entries that correspond to the client cookies which match the panel member cookies.