WO1997011430A1 - Method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user on the world wide web - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user on the world wide web Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1997011430A1
WO1997011430A1 PCT/US1996/014989 US9614989W WO9711430A1 WO 1997011430 A1 WO1997011430 A1 WO 1997011430A1 US 9614989 W US9614989 W US 9614989W WO 9711430 A1 WO9711430 A1 WO 9711430A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
site
www
user
url
ols
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1996/014989
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Terry E. Graber
Joshua Kopelman
Edwin Howell Watkeys, Iii
Marvin I. Weinberger
Original Assignee
Infonautics Corporation
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
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=24117346&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=WO1997011430(A1) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Application filed by Infonautics Corporation filed Critical Infonautics Corporation
Priority to AU72404/96A priority Critical patent/AU7240496A/en
Publication of WO1997011430A1 publication Critical patent/WO1997011430A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06QINFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q30/00Commerce
    • G06Q30/02Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
    • G06Q30/0241Advertisements
    • G06Q30/0277Online advertisement
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/50Network services
    • H04L67/535Tracking the activity of the user
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06FELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F16/00Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
    • G06F16/90Details of database functions independent of the retrieved data types
    • G06F16/95Retrieval from the web
    • G06F16/955Retrieval from the web using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
    • G06F16/9566URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L69/00Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
    • H04L69/30Definitions, standards or architectural aspects of layered protocol stacks
    • H04L69/32Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
    • H04L69/322Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions
    • H04L69/329Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L9/00Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
    • H04L9/40Network security protocols

Definitions

  • the present invention is directed to on-line computer systems for delivering information and computer services to users coupled to such systems. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an automated system for capturing information representing the identity of an entity that has directed a user to an on-line system. Still more particularly, the present invention is directed to a system for tracking user paths on the world wide web (WNW).
  • WWW world wide web
  • On-line computer services such as, for example, on-line information retrieval services, on-line travel reservation services, or on-line stock trading services, receive new subscribers from various sources. New subscribers are typically directed to an on-line service by advertisements placed by the on-line service itself, through word-of-mouth referrals given by existing system subscribers, or by third party computer system marketers (referred to hereinafter as co-marketers) ofthe on-line service.
  • co-marketers may typically use different media for promoting a particular on-line computer service. For example, a magazine acting as a co-marketer for an on-line service might use a magazine advertisement, which includes a free software disk for accessing the on-line service, to promote the on-line service.
  • various directory services available on the WWW such as, for example, the Yaho® or WebCrawler® directory services, might use a listing on their directory pages and a link to a WWW page associated with an on-line service, to direct potential new subscribers to an on-line service.
  • new subscribers can be directed to the same on-line service from different co-marketers and through different marketing channels. It would be desirable to be able to capture and track the co-marketing source which directed each new subscriber to an on-line service. In addition, it would be desirable to capture and track the co-marketing source which directed a new subscriber to an on-line service in a manner which required no participation or intervention from the new subscriber.
  • Universal resource locators are often used to direct users through various pages at a site on the world wide web. There are two different techniques for specifying addresses using universal resource locators. In a first technique, known as fully specified addressing, the full string associated with a universal resource locator is specified each time a user moves from one web page to the next web page. In the second technique, known as relative addressing, only information representing the root directory or the current directory (or subdirectory) ofthe user is specified as a user moves from one web page to the next web page.
  • One drawback of using relative universal resource locator addressing is that it is impossible to move "up a directory tree" using such addressing, without specifying the root directory.
  • UNIX symbolic links may be used in specifying a particular root directory.
  • the present invention is directed to an apparatus for capturing and storing a co-marketer identification symbol representing an identity of an entity that has referred a user on a user station to a computer service, wherein the user station is coupled to the computer service by a communications path.
  • a database is provided for storing a plurality of user records.
  • Each ofthe user records includes a user identification field for storing information uniquely associating each ofthe user records with a user, and a co-marketer identification field for storing identity information representing the identity of an entity that directed the user to the computer service.
  • An enrollment means is coupled to the communications path and the database, and is provided for enrolling a user on the computer service.
  • the enrollment means includes means for determining a co-marketer that directed the user to the computer service, and means for assigning a unique user identification number to the user.
  • the enrollment means further includes means for storing a co-marketer identification symbol representative of a co-marketer and the unique user identification number of a user in the co- marketer identification and user identification fields, respectively, of one ofthe user records
  • the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user that has been directed to a second site on the WWW from a first site on the WWW.
  • the first site has a universal resource locator (URL) symbol for uniquely identifying an address ofthe first site on the WWW
  • the second site has a URL symbol for uniquely identifying an address ofthe second site on the WWW.
  • a composite URL symbol is received at the second WWW site when the user is directed from the first site to the second site.
  • the composite URL symbol has a first portion corresponding to the URL symbol ofthe second site, and a second portion that includes information corresponding to the identity ofthe first site.
  • the information representative ofthe identity ofthe first site is captured at the second WWW site from the second portion ofthe composite URL.
  • the identity ofthe first WWW site is then determined at the second WWW site by comparing information from the second portion of the composite URL to a table having a plurality of entries each of which is representative of a known WWW site.
  • the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for redirecting a user from a first location on the WWW to a second location on the WWW, wherein relative URL addressing is used during the redirecting process.
  • a signal is received from the first location indicating that the user wishes to move from the first location on the WWW to the second location on said WWW.
  • a current URL representing an address ofthe first location on the WWW and a destination URL portion representative of an address ofthe second location on the WWW are passed to a redirecting means.
  • the current URL includes first and second portions.
  • a destination URL is formed with redirecting means by substituting the destination URL portion in place ofthe second portion in the current URL, wherein the destination URL represents a relative address ofthe second location on the WWW.
  • the user is then moved from the first location on the WWW to the second location on the WWW in accordance with the destination URL formed by the redirecting means.
  • the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user that has been directed to a second site on the WWW from a first site on the WWW.
  • a URL is received at the second WWW site when the user is directed from the first site to the second site.
  • information representative of an identity ofthe first WWW site is captured by identifying a first code in the URL.
  • a destination web page is determined for the user, and a revised destination web page is formed by inserting a second code representative ofthe identity ofthe first WWW site into at least one selected web page link associated with the destination web page. The revised destination web page is then transmitted to the user.
  • Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a system for enrolling new users on an on-line system and capturing co-marketing information associated with such new users, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
  • Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a system for enrolling new users on an on-line system and capturing co-marketing information associated with such new users, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
  • Figure 3 is a diagram of a look-up table for associating UNIX symbolic link information with co-marketers, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
  • Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating preferred data structures for storing a Subscriber Information Directory Table, a Customer Information Directory Table, and first and second Co-Marketer Information Directory Tables, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
  • Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the use of UNIX symbolic links and relative URL addressing for moving between locations on the WWW, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
  • Figure 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a system for attaching a code representing the navigational history of a user on the WWW onto selected URL page links on a destination web page of a user, in accordance with an alternative preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
  • Figure 7 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a system for generating recurring bounty payment records, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
  • System 100 includes a first type of user station 102.
  • the user station 102 includes a personal computer (PC) 104 and user software 106 which resides on PC 104.
  • User software 106 includes a graphical user interface (not shown) for facilitating communications between user station 102 and On-Line Service (OLS) 140.
  • OLS 140 represents a computer service such as, for example, an information retrieval service, a travel reservation service, or a stock trading service, which is available on-line to a user of user station 102.
  • User station 102 is coupled to a Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) 141 in OLS 140 by a communications channel 108.
  • FDDI Fiber Distributed Data Interface
  • Communications channel 108 may consist of a communications link formed over a public network such as the Internet.
  • communications channel 108 may consist of a communications link formed between PC 104 and FDDI 141 over a commercial network.
  • commercial networks such as, for example, the Prodigy ® network, the CompuServe* 1 network, or the Microsoft ® network, may be used to establish a communications channel 108 for linking PC 104 and FDDI 141.
  • element 140 is shown as being an on-line computer service, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that element 140 may alternatively represent any computer service, regardless of whether the service is available on-line.
  • user software 106 is preferably provided to a user of user station 102 by an on-line service co-marketer (CM) and loaded onto PC 104 prior to the time the user of user station 102 attempts to enroll on OLS 140.
  • CM on-line service co-marketer
  • User software is preferably provided to the user of user station 102 from the CM via a floppy disk, CD- ROM disk, magnetic tape or through a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) site on the Internet.
  • User software 106 preferably includes an embedded co-marketer symbol or code which can be recognized by OLS 140 whenever the user of user station 102 connects to OLS 140.
  • the co-marketer symbol embedded in the user software uniquely represents the identity ofthe co-marketer that provided user software 106 to the user of user station 102.
  • An example of a co-marketer that might provide user software 106 to a user of user station 102 might include, for example, a magazine publisher that advertises OLS 140 in its magazine and includes a floppy disk with user
  • System 100 also includes a second type of user station 102a.
  • the user station 102a includes a PC 104a and user software 106a which resides on PC 104a.
  • user software 106a includes a graphical user interface (not shown) for facilitating communications between user station 102a and On-Line Service (OLS) 140.
  • OLS On-Line Service
  • user station 102a is coupled to OLS 140 through the WWW 120. More particularly, user station 102a is coupled to an OLS web server 142 at OLS 140 through the WWW site 128 associated with OLS 140 on the WWW 120.
  • the navigation history ofthe user of user station 102a on WWW 120 is shown generally by dotted lines 124, 125 and solid line 126.
  • user station 102a was initially coupled to site 122a of a first co-marketer on WWW 120.
  • a page at site 122a includes an advertisement (not shown) for OLS 140.
  • the advertisement at co-marketer site 122a is preferably such that a user of user station 102a may chose to connect to OLS site 128 simply by "clicking" on the advertisement at WWW site 122a.
  • WWW site 122a forms a special destination URL having two parts.
  • the first part ofthe destination URL is formed ofthe URL associated with OLS site 128 ( ⁇ , WWW.OLS.COMM).
  • the second part ofthe destination URL is formed of a destination filename (e.g.. INDEX. HTML) and a UNIX symbolic link (£,&., ⁇ CM1) that is prepended to the beginning of the destination filename by the co-marketer (co-marketer #1) associated with WWW site 122a.
  • the symbol or code used to form the UNIX symbolic link e.g.
  • ⁇ ⁇ CM1 inserted by co-marketer #1 at site 122a is uniquely associated with co-marketer #1 in system 100.
  • the complete destination URL is used to route the user (along dotted line 125) from WWW site 122a of co-marketer #1 to OLS WWW site 128.
  • OLS site 128 the user station 102a is coupled to OLS WWW site 128 by solid line 126, and the complete destination URL formed at site 122a (including the UNIX symbolic link portion of such destination URL) is passed to OLS 140 through OLS web server 142.
  • users may be directed to OLS site 128 on WWW 120 through advertisements (not shown) on pages at the sites of other co-marketers represented on the WWW 120 such as, for example, through an advertisement at WWW site 122b (representing co-marketer #2), or an advertisement at WWW site 122c (representing co-marketer #3).
  • an advertisement at WWW site 122b (representing co-marketer #2), or an advertisement at WWW site 122c (representing co-marketer #3).
  • WWW site 122b forms a special destination URL having two parts.
  • the first part ofthe destination URL is again formed ofthe URL associated with OLS site 128 te.g.. WWW.OLS.COMM), and the second part ofthe destination URL is again formed of a UNIX symbolic link that is prepended to a destination filename.
  • the UNIX symbolic link e.g., ⁇ CM2
  • co-marketer #2 co-marketer #2
  • ⁇ CM3 inserted by the co-marketer will be uniquely associated in system 100 with co-marketer #3 and site 122c.
  • a complete destination URL formed at either site 122b or 122c may be used as described above in connection with site 122a to route the user from site 122b or 122c to OLS WWW site 128.
  • co-marketers are shown in Figure 1 for directing users from the WWW sites of such co-marketers to OLS site 128, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that more than three co-marketing sites may be used in conjunction with the present invention for directing users to OLS site 128 on WWW 120.
  • OLS 140 will accept a user that has been routed to OLS site 128 by a co-marketer only ifthe co-marketer that has done the routing is an authorized co-marketer for OLS 140.
  • a co-marketer will be authorized to route users to site 128 only after the co-marketer has been assigned and has received a unique UNIX symbolic link associated with the co-marketer from OLS 140.
  • First and second Co-Marketer Identification Tables are stored respectively on enrollment database 146 and accounting database 144 at OLS 140. As described more fully below in conjunction with Figure 4, each Co-Marketer Identification Table includes a separate record for storing a co-marketer identification code associated with each co-marketer (e.g.. co-marketer #1, co- marketer #2, co-marketer #3) that has been authorized by OLS 140 to route users to OLS site 128.
  • System 100 includes an enrollment server 145 for enrolling new users on OLS
  • server when used in conjunction with “enrollment” or “billing”, is used to refer to a physical machine formed from at least one computer processor having associated memory and software installed thereon for executing the functions to be performed by the server.
  • the hardware platform used for implementing enrollment server 145 consists of a Tandem Model 4412 computer having 2 processors, 200 MB of memory, a 1 GB system disk, and a 4 GB RAID disk; a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a preferred software system 200 for implementing enrollment server 145 on this hardware platform is shown in Figure 2 and discussed below.
  • the hardware platform used for implementing billing server 143 consists of a Tandem Model 4412 computer having 2 processors, 200 MB of memory, a 1 GB system disk, and a 4 GB RAID disk; a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a preferred software system 700 for implementing billing server 143 on this hardware platform is shown in Figure 7 and discussed below.
  • enrollment server 145 and billing server 143 are implemented in software on separate machines which are physically distinct from the processor(s) used for implementing OLS session server 147.
  • enrollment server 145 and billing server 143 may be implemented in software together on a single server or as part of OLS session server 147.
  • a user station 102 or 102a connects to OLS 140.
  • the connection to OLS 140 is made by the user station via communications channel 108 directly to FDDI 141; in the case of a user station 102a, the connection is made via OLS site 128 to OLS web server 142.
  • the enrollment means 145 determines whether the user which just connected to OLS 140 is a new subscriber to OLS 140.
  • step 210 is performed either (i) by waiting for the user to issue an enrollment request (from page 514a described below) to OLS 140, or (ii) by prompting the user to enter a login name and comparing the login name entered by the user to a list of valid login names maintained in enrollment database 146. If the user is a new subscriber to OLS 140, processing proceeds to step 220, where the enrollment means 145 determines how the user connected to OLS 140.
  • the enrollment means 145 determines that the user is operating on a user station 102a which is connected to OLS 140 via WWW 120; otherwise, enrollment means 145 determines that the user is operating on a user station 102 which is connected to OLS 140 via communications channel 108.
  • step 220 If a determination is made in step 220 that the user is operating on a user station 102a that connected to OLS 140 through WWW 120, then processing proceeds to step 230 where enrollment means 145 determines a co-marketer identification symbol or code (CM ID) associated with the user station 102a.
  • CM ID co-marketer identification symbol or code
  • the complete destination URL which was passed to OLS web server 142 when the user was directed from a co- marketer site 122a, 122b, 122c to OLS site 128 is retrieved by OLS web server 142, and the second portion ofthe destination URL, which contains both a UNIX symbolic link and a destination filename (which may be specified implicitly), is then extracted from the complete destination URL.
  • CM ID co-marketer identification symbol or code
  • step 240 enrollment means 145 attempts to enroll the user in OLS 140.
  • the enrollment means 145 obtains a co-marketer identification code (CMID) associated with the destination URL using look-up table 300 (shown in Figure 3). For each valid co-marketer in system 100, table 300 has one or more entries representing the second portion of a potential destination URL that might be generated by such a co-marketer.
  • CMID co-marketer identification code
  • each entry in table 300 has a record 310 representing a UNIX symbolic link (310a) and destination filename (310b) that may be provided by a valid co-marketer, and a corresponding record 320 representing a CMID associated with the co-marketer assigned to UNIX symbolic link 310a in system 100. If the second portion ofthe destination URL is not recognized as corresponding to a valid CMID, the enrollment session is terminated.
  • a list of valid (or authorized) CMID's is preferably stored in a Co-Marketer Information Directory Table on enrollment database 146 shown in Figure 4. The Co-Marketer
  • Information Directory Table on enrollment database 146 is formed of a plurality of individual records 440, each of which contains a field 442 for storing the CMID of a system authorized co-marketer.
  • the enrollment means 145 determines that the user has been directed to OLS 140 from an authorized co-marketer, the enrollment means attempts to enroll the user in OLS 140 by assigning the user a unique user identification number and then asking the user to enter various personal information which is then stored in a Subscriber Information Directory Table on enrollment database 146.
  • the Subscriber Information Directory Table on enrollment database 146 is formed of a plurality of individual records 400, each of which contains several fields for storing information about a particular user.
  • a record 400 with a field 402 for storing the unique user identification number assigned to the user, a field 404 for storing the CM ID ofthe co-marketer that directed the user to OLS 140, fields 406, 408, 410 for respectively storing the name, address and telephone number ofthe user, fields 412, 414 for respectively storing the grade level and gender ofthe user, fields 416, 418 for storing information representing the occupations of the user's parents, field 420 for storing the user's number of siblings, and fields 422, 424,
  • the 426, 428 and 430 for respectively storing information representing the type of computer used by the user, the user's modem speed, the display capabilities ofthe user's display, the size of the memory ofthe user's PC, and the identity ofthe communications link (e.g.. the Internet, the Prodigy ® network, the CompuServe ® network, or the Microsoft ® network) used for accessing OLS 140.
  • the communications link e.g.. the Internet, the Prodigy ® network, the CompuServe ® network, or the Microsoft ® network
  • the Customer Information Directory Table on accounting database 144 is formed of a plurality of individual records 450, each of which contains several fields for storing information about a particular user. Fields 452, 454, 456, 458 and 460 store substantially the same information as that which is stored respectively in fields 402, 404, 406, 408 and 410, respectively, described above. However, in step 240 the user is also prompted by the enrollment means 145 to choose an enrollment plan and enter certain personal financial information which is then stored in records 450.
  • the user may select either a free trial membership or one of several active membership plans, and a code representing the enrollment plan selected by the user is then stored in field 462. If the user has selected either an active or free trial membership plan, the user is prompted to enter credit card information for paying for the selected enrollment plan. This credit card information is stored in field 474 and used by billing means 143 to verify that the user is credit worthy. Referring again to Figure 2, following the entry ofthe user information into records 400, 450, processing proceeds to step 250, where enrollment means 145 downloads a copy of user software 106a onto user station 102a.
  • user software 106a does not include any embedded CM ID information, or, to state it another way, user software 106a contains a "null" CM ID field embedded therein.
  • processing proceeds to step 260 where enrollment means 145 determines a CM ID associated with the user station 102a.
  • the CM ID is determined in step 260 from an embedded CM ID stored on user software 106 which was previously loaded (in step 202) on user station 102.
  • enrollment means 145 attempts to enroll the user in OLS 140.
  • Step 270 is substantially the same as step 240 described above, except in step 270 the CM ID used for creating and updating the records 400 and 450 represents the CM ID embedded in software 106, as opposed to a CM ID determined from a UNIX symbolic link passed to OLS 140 over WWW 120.
  • processing proceeds to step 280, where enrollment means 145 communicates with billing means 143 to determine whether the user is credit worthy.
  • enrollment means 145 determines (based on the information stored in field 462) whether the user has enrolled as an active (L , non-trial) user. Ifthe user is credit worthy and has enrolled as an active user, processing proceeds to step 285, where a payment record for paying a one-time bounty (or referral fee) to the co-marketer that directed the user to OLS 140 is created.
  • the amount ofthe one-time bounty payment created in step 285 is preferably dependent on the number of users previously directed to OLS 140 by the co-marketer during a previous period (month or quarter).
  • a Co-Marketer Information Directory located on accounting database 144 is provided for storing information about each authorized co-marketer on OLS 140.
  • the Co- Marketer Information Directory Table on accounting database 144 is formed of a plurality of records 480, each of which contains several fields for storing information about a particular authorized co-marketer. More particularly, a field 482 is provided for storing the CM ID associated with a co-marketer, and fields 484, 486 and 488 are respectively provided for storing name, address and telephone number information representing the co-marketer.
  • each time a user is enrolled on OLS 140 the values in fields 492 and 496, which respectively represent the total number of users directed to OLS 140 by the co-marketer and the number of users directed to OLS 140 during the current month are incremented.
  • Each record 480 also contains a field 494 representing the number of users that were directed to OLS by the co-marketer during the previous month.
  • the value stored in field 494 is used in step 285 in calculating the amount ofthe one time bounty payment to be paid to the co-marketer. More particularly, a higher one-time bounty payment will be paid to a co-marketer in step 285 ifthe number of prior enrollees represented in field 494 exceeds a predetermined threshold.
  • the user When a user reaches OLS site 128 from a previous location on WWW 120, the user will typically be initially directed to the home page at web site 128.
  • the user may enroll on OLS 140 directly from the home page of site 128 upon reaching site 128.
  • the user may browse through the home web page of site 128, and then through various further web pages at site 128, prior to reaching an enrollment page at site 128 (e ⁇ , WWW.OLS.COMY.. ⁇ ENROLL ⁇ ENROLL.Pl) from which the user then enrolls onto OLS 140.
  • an enrollment page at site 128 e ⁇ , WWW.OLS.COMY.. ⁇ ENROLL ⁇ ENROLL.Pl
  • URL 502 points to the home page address of OLS site 128 on the WWW.
  • URLs 504, 506, 508 also point to the home page address of OLS site 128 on the WWW; however, URLs 504, 506, 508 each include a UNIX symbolic link (/CM1, /CM2, /CM3) appended thereto.
  • each UNIX symbolic link appended to a URL represents the identity of a co-marketer that directed a user to the home page address of OLS site 128.
  • the user may then browse through various pages provided by OLS site 128 on the WWW. For example, the user may view pages providing information about OLS 140 by clicking on a "table of contents" entry on the home page of OLS site 128. Upon clicking on this "table of contents" entry on the home page, the user is directed to a Table of Contents Page represented by URL 510. From this Table of Contents Page, the user may click on individual pages (e.g.. Info.Pl, Info.P2, etc.) listed on the Table of Contents Page. Upon clicking on an individual page such as, for example, Information Page 1, the user is directed to a first information page represented by URL 514.
  • a Table of Contents Page represented by URL 510.
  • individual pages e.g. Info.Pl, Info.P2, etc.
  • number_of_levels_up count_substrings(.J", destination ) ;
  • new absolute url concatenate( new directory, relative url );
  • the redirect. cgi program accepts as arguments the current URL ofthe user (e.g.. URL 514) and a destination URL representing the location to which the user desires to move (e.g.. URL 518).
  • the program then strips the ".../Info/Info.Pl" portion off of the current URL 514, and replaces the striped portion with the ".../Enroll/Enroll.Pl" portion of destination URL 518 to form a new URL which is then used for redirecting the user to the page represented by URL 518.
  • the redirect, cgi program is significant to the operation ofthe present invention because, among other things, this program allows the UNIX symbolic link information that was originally passed when the user arrived at the home page of OLS site 128 to be retained as the user moves between pages at OLS site 128. Thus, the redirecting. cgi program insures that the UNIX symbolic link information provided by a co-marketer will be present when the enrollment means 145 attempts to enroll the user on OLS 140.
  • the redirect. cgi program discussed in connection with Figure 5 and Table I above represents a first preferred system for retaining at site 128 the UNIX symbolic link information (that was originally passed when the user originally arrived at OLS site 128 from a previous site) as the user moves between web pages at OLS site 128.
  • a further system (described in connection with Figure 6 and Table II below) may altematively be used to store and transmit the UNIX symbolic link information that was originally passed when the user arrived at the home page of OLS site 128.
  • the URL used to direct a user from a previous site e.g..
  • OLS site 128 includes a string which functions to call a special page link.cgi program which runs on web server 142.
  • the string passed to OLS site 128 also contains (i) a destination page identifier (or filename) representing the particular web page at site 128 to which the user has been directed by the previous web site, and (ii) a UNIX symbolic link or CMID code associated with the previous web site. More particularly, the destination page identifier and the UNIX symbol link information/CMID code are included in the string as arguments to the page link.cgi program.
  • An exemplary URL which invokes the page link.cgi program and that could be used by co-marketer site 122a for directing a web user from a site 122a to the home page of site 128 is shown below:
  • the first portion ( &, WWW.OLS.COM) of this exemplary URL identifies web site 128 as the web site to which the user is being directed.
  • the remaining portion (i.e.. page link.cgi ? index @ CM1) ofthe URL represents a call to the pagejink.cgi program.
  • the program call includes two arguments, namely, a destination page identifier (i.e.. index) representing the particular page at site 128 to which the user has been directed, and a UNIX symbolic link/CMID code ( ⁇ ,, CM1) representing the identity ofthe web site 122a that directed the user to site 128.
  • a destination page identifier i.e.. index
  • a UNIX symbolic link/CMID code ⁇ ,, CM1 representing the identity ofthe web site 122a that directed the user to site 128.
  • step 610 when web server 142 receives a URL which includes a string containing a call to the page link.cgi program, the page link.cgi program is invoked on the web server 142.
  • step 620 the page link.cgi program extracts the destination page identifier (e.g.. index) and UNIX symbolic link/CMID code (e.g.. CM1) that were contained as arguments in the page ink.cgi program call.
  • the page at web site 128 represented by the destination page identifier is retrieved.
  • Each page at web site 128 is represented by a file which includes one or more fields containing further URLs representing links to other pages at web site 128 (intemal page links) or to pages at web sites other than site 128 (extemal page links).
  • Each URL in the destination page is then selected and tested (in steps 630 and 640) in order to determine whether the URL includes a string for calling the page link.cgi program. Ifthe URL does include the "page link.cgi" string, a further determination is made (in step 650) whether the URL represents an intemal or extemal page link.
  • the URL will be determined as representing an intemal page link ifthe first portion ofthe URL represents OLS site 128 ( e ⁇ , "WWW.OLS.COM') or if there is no site name portion in the URL; otherwise the URL will be determined as representing an extemal page link.
  • step 660 for each intemal URL in the destination page which includes a string for calling the page link.cgi program, the page link.cgi program appends the UNIX symbolic link/CMID code (i.e... CM1) originally passed as an argument to the program to the end ofthe URL.
  • step 670 for each extemal URL in the destination page which includes the "page link.cgi" string, the pagejink.cgi program appends the UNIX symbolic link CMID originally passed to the program followed by a UNIX symbolic link/CMID representing OLS site 128 (e.g.. /OLS) to the end ofthe URL.
  • the process is then repeated from step 630 for each URL on the destination page.
  • the destination page which includes URLs having the appended codes described above is then passed back to the user in step 690. Thereafter, when the user desires to move off of the destination page (passed to the user in step 690), the user will select one ofthe URL page links on the user's page as a new destination page.
  • OLS_string refers to the CMID code of // the site running this instance ofthe pagejink.cgi // application, and is unique among all sites participating. ⁇
  • each page link URL on a web page at site 128 will preferably include a call to the page link, cgi program ifthe page link points to either (i) a further web page at site 128, or (ii) a further web site which is adapted to recognize UNIX symbolic links that have been inserted into a URL by a previous web site during a user session.
  • the system insures that the UNIX symbolic link information originally passed to site 128 by a previous web site will be available when OLS 140 attempts to enroll the user into OLS 140.
  • the system permits the user to carry UNIX symbolic link information representing previous location(s) traversed during a user session to further web sites.
  • billing means 143 In addition to providing each co- marketer with a one-time bounty payment each time a user directed to OLS 140 by the co ⁇ marketer enrolls on OLS 140, billing means 143 also generates "recurring" bounty payment records for certain selected co-marketers that have secured a preferred status with OLS 140. Information representing whether or not a particular co-marketer has such preferred status (and is thus eligible to receive a recurring bounty payment) is stored in field 490 of records 480.
  • a recurring bounty payment is determined for each preferred co-marketer on a periodic basis based on the number of users that were referred to OLS 140 by the co-marketer (at any time) and which are still active subscribers on OLS 140.
  • a counter used for determining the total number of active users associated with each co-marketer is initialized, preferably to zero.
  • a co-marketer record 480 having a preferred status is selected for processing.
  • a user record 450 having the same CM ID is selected for processing.
  • step 750 the recurring user counter is incremented.
  • step 760 the process is repeated from step 730 until each user record 450 having the same CM ID as the selected co-marketer has been processed.
  • step 770 the billing means 143 generates a recurring bounty payment for the selected co-marketer by multiplying a value represented by the recurring user counter with a per user bounty amount.
  • step 780 the process is repeated from step 710 until each co-marketer having a preferred status has been processed.
  • the value stored in field 492 may be used by system 700 (at step 770) in calculating the rate of each recurring bounty payment to be paid to each preferred co-marketer. More particularly, a higher recurring bounty payment rate may be paid to a co-marketer ifthe value of enrollees represented in field 492 exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract

A method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user that has been directed to a second site on the World Wide Web (WWW) from a first site on the WWW. The first site has a universal resource locator (URL) symbol for uniquely identifying an address of the first site on the WWW, and the second site has a URL symbol for uniquely identifying an address of the second site on the WWW. A composite URL symbol (128) is received at the second WWW site when the user is directed from the first site to the second site. The composite URL symbol has a first portion corresponding to the URL symbol of the second site, and a second portion (310a) that includes information corresponding to the identity of the first site. Information representative of the identity of the first WWW site is captured at the second WWW site from the second portion of the composite URL. The identity of the first WWW site is then determined at the second WWW site by comparing information from the second portion of the composite URL (310) to a table (300) having a plurality of entries (320) each of which is representative of a known WWW site.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRACKING THE NAVIGATION PATH OF A USER ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
Field ofthe Invention
The present invention is directed to on-line computer systems for delivering information and computer services to users coupled to such systems. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an automated system for capturing information representing the identity of an entity that has directed a user to an on-line system. Still more particularly, the present invention is directed to a system for tracking user paths on the world wide web (WNW).
Background ofthe Invention On-line computer services such as, for example, on-line information retrieval services, on-line travel reservation services, or on-line stock trading services, receive new subscribers from various sources. New subscribers are typically directed to an on-line service by advertisements placed by the on-line service itself, through word-of-mouth referrals given by existing system subscribers, or by third party computer system marketers (referred to hereinafter as co-marketers) ofthe on-line service. Different co-marketers may typically use different media for promoting a particular on-line computer service. For example, a magazine acting as a co-marketer for an on-line service might use a magazine advertisement, which includes a free software disk for accessing the on-line service, to promote the on-line service. Alternatively, various directory services available on the WWW such as, for example, the Yaho® or WebCrawler® directory services, might use a listing on their directory pages and a link to a WWW page associated with an on-line service, to direct potential new subscribers to an on-line service. Thus, new subscribers can be directed to the same on-line service from different co-marketers and through different marketing channels. It would be desirable to be able to capture and track the co-marketing source which directed each new subscriber to an on-line service. In addition, it would be desirable to capture and track the co-marketing source which directed a new subscriber to an on-line service in a manner which required no participation or intervention from the new subscriber. When a user navigates through various sites during a session on the WWW, the navigational history reflecting the past locations traversed by the user during the session is typically lost as the user moves from one site to the next site. Thus, unless the user were to manually track the various sites traversed during a world wide web session, it would be difficult for the user, or for any service monitoring the user, to know the identity of any previous world wide web site traversed by the user during a session. It would be desirable to have a system for attaching navigational history information to a user traversing the WWW so that a current web site could determine electronically at least the previous WWW site visited by the user.
Universal resource locators are often used to direct users through various pages at a site on the world wide web. There are two different techniques for specifying addresses using universal resource locators. In a first technique, known as fully specified addressing, the full string associated with a universal resource locator is specified each time a user moves from one web page to the next web page. In the second technique, known as relative addressing, only information representing the root directory or the current directory (or subdirectory) ofthe user is specified as a user moves from one web page to the next web page. One drawback of using relative universal resource locator addressing is that it is impossible to move "up a directory tree" using such addressing, without specifying the root directory. UNIX symbolic links may be used in specifying a particular root directory.
However, when relative addressing is used, it is impossible to carry this UNIX symbolic link information forward as a user moves from page to page. It would be desirable if this limitation of relative universal resource locator addressing could be ameliorated, such that the UNIX symbolic link information could be retained during the relative addressing of web pages.
It is therefore an object ofthe present invention to provide a unified system for capturing and tracking a co-marketing source which directed a new subscriber to an on-line service.
It is a further object ofthe present invention to provide a system for capturing and tracking information identifying a co-marketing source which directed a new subscriber to an on-line service, which requires no participation or intervention from the new subscriber.
It is a still further object ofthe present invention to provide a system for attaching navigational history information to a user traversing the world wide web so that a current web site could determine electronically at least the previous world wide web site visited by the user. It is a still further object ofthe present invention to provide a system which could be used in conjunction with relative universal resource locator addressing, which permitted a user in a particular directory at a web site to move up a directory tree.
These and other objects ofthe invention will become apparent from the description ofthe invention which follows.
Summary of the Invention The present invention is directed to an apparatus for capturing and storing a co-marketer identification symbol representing an identity of an entity that has referred a user on a user station to a computer service, wherein the user station is coupled to the computer service by a communications path. A database is provided for storing a plurality of user records. Each ofthe user records includes a user identification field for storing information uniquely associating each ofthe user records with a user, and a co-marketer identification field for storing identity information representing the identity of an entity that directed the user to the computer service. An enrollment means is coupled to the communications path and the database, and is provided for enrolling a user on the computer service. The enrollment means includes means for determining a co-marketer that directed the user to the computer service, and means for assigning a unique user identification number to the user. The enrollment means further includes means for storing a co-marketer identification symbol representative of a co-marketer and the unique user identification number of a user in the co- marketer identification and user identification fields, respectively, of one ofthe user records In accordance with a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user that has been directed to a second site on the WWW from a first site on the WWW. The first site has a universal resource locator (URL) symbol for uniquely identifying an address ofthe first site on the WWW, and the second site has a URL symbol for uniquely identifying an address ofthe second site on the WWW. A composite URL symbol is received at the second WWW site when the user is directed from the first site to the second site. The composite URL symbol has a first portion corresponding to the URL symbol ofthe second site, and a second portion that includes information corresponding to the identity ofthe first site. The information representative ofthe identity ofthe first site is captured at the second WWW site from the second portion ofthe composite URL. The identity ofthe first WWW site is then determined at the second WWW site by comparing information from the second portion of the composite URL to a table having a plurality of entries each of which is representative of a known WWW site.
In accordance with a still further aspect, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for redirecting a user from a first location on the WWW to a second location on the WWW, wherein relative URL addressing is used during the redirecting process. A signal is received from the first location indicating that the user wishes to move from the first location on the WWW to the second location on said WWW. In response to the signal, a current URL representing an address ofthe first location on the WWW and a destination URL portion representative of an address ofthe second location on the WWW are passed to a redirecting means. The current URL includes first and second portions. A destination URL is formed with redirecting means by substituting the destination URL portion in place ofthe second portion in the current URL, wherein the destination URL represents a relative address ofthe second location on the WWW. The user is then moved from the first location on the WWW to the second location on the WWW in accordance with the destination URL formed by the redirecting means.
In accordance with a still further aspect, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user that has been directed to a second site on the WWW from a first site on the WWW. A URL is received at the second WWW site when the user is directed from the first site to the second site. At the second WWW site, information representative of an identity ofthe first WWW site is captured by identifying a first code in the URL. A destination web page is determined for the user, and a revised destination web page is formed by inserting a second code representative ofthe identity ofthe first WWW site into at least one selected web page link associated with the destination web page. The revised destination web page is then transmitted to the user.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and objects ofthe invention are obtained and can be appreciated, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to a specific embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only a typical embodiment ofthe invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting ofits scope, the invention and the presently understood best mode thereof will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use ofthe accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a system for enrolling new users on an on-line system and capturing co-marketing information associated with such new users, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a system for enrolling new users on an on-line system and capturing co-marketing information associated with such new users, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
Figure 3 is a diagram of a look-up table for associating UNIX symbolic link information with co-marketers, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating preferred data structures for storing a Subscriber Information Directory Table, a Customer Information Directory Table, and first and second Co-Marketer Information Directory Tables, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the use of UNIX symbolic links and relative URL addressing for moving between locations on the WWW, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
Figure 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a system for attaching a code representing the navigational history of a user on the WWW onto selected URL page links on a destination web page of a user, in accordance with an alternative preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
Figure 7 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a system for generating recurring bounty payment records, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
Detailed Description of the Invention Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a block diagram of a system 100 for enrolling new users on an on-line system and capturing co-marketing information associated with such new users, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention System 100 includes a first type of user station 102. The user station 102 includes a personal computer (PC) 104 and user software 106 which resides on PC 104. User software 106 includes a graphical user interface (not shown) for facilitating communications between user station 102 and On-Line Service (OLS) 140. OLS 140 represents a computer service such as, for example, an information retrieval service, a travel reservation service, or a stock trading service, which is available on-line to a user of user station 102. User station 102 is coupled to a Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) 141 in OLS 140 by a communications channel 108. In alternate embodiments, a standard communications bus or a local area network may be substituted for FDDI 141. Communications channel 108 may consist of a communications link formed over a public network such as the Internet. Alternatively, communications channel 108 may consist of a communications link formed between PC 104 and FDDI 141 over a commercial network. Thus, commercial networks such as, for example, the Prodigy® network, the CompuServe*1 network, or the Microsoft® network, may be used to establish a communications channel 108 for linking PC 104 and FDDI 141. Although in the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, element 140 is shown as being an on-line computer service, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that element 140 may alternatively represent any computer service, regardless of whether the service is available on-line.
As explained more fully below, user software 106 is preferably provided to a user of user station 102 by an on-line service co-marketer (CM) and loaded onto PC 104 prior to the time the user of user station 102 attempts to enroll on OLS 140. User software is preferably provided to the user of user station 102 from the CM via a floppy disk, CD- ROM disk, magnetic tape or through a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) site on the Internet. User software 106 preferably includes an embedded co-marketer symbol or code which can be recognized by OLS 140 whenever the user of user station 102 connects to OLS 140. The co-marketer symbol embedded in the user software uniquely represents the identity ofthe co-marketer that provided user software 106 to the user of user station 102. An example of a co-marketer that might provide user software 106 to a user of user station 102 might include, for example, a magazine publisher that advertises OLS 140 in its magazine and includes a floppy disk with user software 106 together with the magazine advertisement.
System 100 also includes a second type of user station 102a. The user station 102a includes a PC 104a and user software 106a which resides on PC 104a. Like user software 106, user software 106a includes a graphical user interface (not shown) for facilitating communications between user station 102a and On-Line Service (OLS) 140. However, unlike user station 102, user station 102a is coupled to OLS 140 through the WWW 120. More particularly, user station 102a is coupled to an OLS web server 142 at OLS 140 through the WWW site 128 associated with OLS 140 on the WWW 120.
The navigation history ofthe user of user station 102a on WWW 120 is shown generally by dotted lines 124, 125 and solid line 126. As shown by dotted line 124, user station 102a was initially coupled to site 122a of a first co-marketer on WWW 120. In the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, a page at site 122a includes an advertisement (not shown) for OLS 140. In addition, the advertisement at co-marketer site 122a is preferably such that a user of user station 102a may chose to connect to OLS site 128 simply by "clicking" on the advertisement at WWW site 122a. As explained more fully below in connection with Figure 5, when the user of user station 102a clicks on the advertisement for OLS 140 at WWW site 122a, WWW site 122a forms a special destination URL having two parts. The first part ofthe destination URL is formed ofthe URL associated with OLS site 128 (≤^, WWW.OLS.COMM). The second part ofthe destination URL is formed of a destination filename (e.g.. INDEX. HTML) and a UNIX symbolic link (£,&., \CM1) that is prepended to the beginning of the destination filename by the co-marketer (co-marketer #1) associated with WWW site 122a. The symbol or code used to form the UNIX symbolic link (e.g.τ \CM1) inserted by co-marketer #1 at site 122a is uniquely associated with co-marketer #1 in system 100. The complete destination URL is used to route the user (along dotted line 125) from WWW site 122a of co-marketer #1 to OLS WWW site 128. Upon reaching OLS site 128, the user station 102a is coupled to OLS WWW site 128 by solid line 126, and the complete destination URL formed at site 122a (including the UNIX symbolic link portion of such destination URL) is passed to OLS 140 through OLS web server 142.
In addition to the co-marketer represented by site 122a (co-marketer #1), users may be directed to OLS site 128 on WWW 120 through advertisements (not shown) on pages at the sites of other co-marketers represented on the WWW 120 such as, for example, through an advertisement at WWW site 122b (representing co-marketer #2), or an advertisement at WWW site 122c (representing co-marketer #3). Like the situation described above wherein a user of user station 102a clicks on the advertisement for OLS 140 at WWW site 122a, when the user of user station 102a clicks on the advertisement for OLS 140 at WWW site 122b or 122c, WWW site 122b forms a special destination URL having two parts. The first part ofthe destination URL is again formed ofthe URL associated with OLS site 128 te.g.. WWW.OLS.COMM), and the second part ofthe destination URL is again formed of a UNIX symbolic link that is prepended to a destination filename. However, ifthe user has clicked on an advertisement for OLS 140 at site 122b, the UNIX symbolic link (e.g., \CM2) inserted by the co-marketer (co-marketer #2) will be uniquely associated in system 100 with co-marketer #2 and site 122b. Similarly, ifthe user has clicked on an advertisement for OLS 140 at site 122c, the UNIX symbolic link (e.g.. \CM3) inserted by the co-marketer (co-marketer #3) will be uniquely associated in system 100 with co-marketer #3 and site 122c. A complete destination URL formed at either site 122b or 122c may be used as described above in connection with site 122a to route the user from site 122b or 122c to OLS WWW site 128. Although only three co-marketers are shown in Figure 1 for directing users from the WWW sites of such co-marketers to OLS site 128, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that more than three co-marketing sites may be used in conjunction with the present invention for directing users to OLS site 128 on WWW 120.
In the preferred embodiment of system 100, OLS 140 will accept a user that has been routed to OLS site 128 by a co-marketer only ifthe co-marketer that has done the routing is an authorized co-marketer for OLS 140. In system 100, a co-marketer will be authorized to route users to site 128 only after the co-marketer has been assigned and has received a unique UNIX symbolic link associated with the co-marketer from OLS 140. First and second Co-Marketer Identification Tables are stored respectively on enrollment database 146 and accounting database 144 at OLS 140. As described more fully below in conjunction with Figure 4, each Co-Marketer Identification Table includes a separate record for storing a co-marketer identification code associated with each co-marketer (e.g.. co-marketer #1, co- marketer #2, co-marketer #3) that has been authorized by OLS 140 to route users to OLS site 128. System 100 includes an enrollment server 145 for enrolling new users on OLS
140, and a billing server 143 for generating bounty payment records for issuing bounty payments to authorized co-marketers that have referred users of user stations 102, 102a to OLS 140. For purposes ofthe present application, the term "server", when used in conjunction with "enrollment" or "billing", is used to refer to a physical machine formed from at least one computer processor having associated memory and software installed thereon for executing the functions to be performed by the server. In the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the hardware platform used for implementing enrollment server 145 consists of a Tandem Model 4412 computer having 2 processors, 200 MB of memory, a 1 GB system disk, and a 4 GB RAID disk; a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a preferred software system 200 for implementing enrollment server 145 on this hardware platform is shown in Figure 2 and discussed below. In the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the hardware platform used for implementing billing server 143 consists of a Tandem Model 4412 computer having 2 processors, 200 MB of memory, a 1 GB system disk, and a 4 GB RAID disk; a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a preferred software system 700 for implementing billing server 143 on this hardware platform is shown in Figure 7 and discussed below. Although specific hardware is disclosed herein for implementing enrollment server 145 and billing server 143, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other suitable hardware platforms may alternatively be used to implement servers 143, 145. However, the two hardware systems described above for implementing servers 143, 145 are preferred because these systems allow servers 143, 145 to be hardware-scalable. This "hardware scalability" allows OLS 140 to handle an increasing number of user stations 102, 102a simply by adding further processors to the existing hardware used for servers 143, 145, without modification ofthe software running on such hardware. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, enrollment server 145 and billing server 143 are implemented in software on separate machines which are physically distinct from the processor(s) used for implementing OLS session server 147. In alternative embodiments (not shown), enrollment server 145 and billing server 143 may be implemented in software together on a single server or as part of OLS session server 147.
Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a system 200 for enrolling new users associated with user stations 102, 102a onto OLS 140, and capturing co-marketing information associated with such new users, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention. In step 205, a user station 102 or 102a connects to OLS 140. In the case of a user station 102, the connection to OLS 140 is made by the user station via communications channel 108 directly to FDDI 141; in the case of a user station 102a, the connection is made via OLS site 128 to OLS web server 142. Next, in step 210, the enrollment means 145 determines whether the user which just connected to OLS 140 is a new subscriber to OLS 140. In a preferred embodiment, step 210 is performed either (i) by waiting for the user to issue an enrollment request (from page 514a described below) to OLS 140, or (ii) by prompting the user to enter a login name and comparing the login name entered by the user to a list of valid login names maintained in enrollment database 146. Ifthe user is a new subscriber to OLS 140, processing proceeds to step 220, where the enrollment means 145 determines how the user connected to OLS 140. More particularly, ifthe user connected to OLS 140 through web server 142, the enrollment means 145 determines that the user is operating on a user station 102a which is connected to OLS 140 via WWW 120; otherwise, enrollment means 145 determines that the user is operating on a user station 102 which is connected to OLS 140 via communications channel 108.
If a determination is made in step 220 that the user is operating on a user station 102a that connected to OLS 140 through WWW 120, then processing proceeds to step 230 where enrollment means 145 determines a co-marketer identification symbol or code (CM ID) associated with the user station 102a. In this step, the complete destination URL which was passed to OLS web server 142 when the user was directed from a co- marketer site 122a, 122b, 122c to OLS site 128 is retrieved by OLS web server 142, and the second portion ofthe destination URL, which contains both a UNIX symbolic link and a destination filename (which may be specified implicitly), is then extracted from the complete destination URL. As mentioned above, the UNIX symbolic link embedded in the destination URL uniquely identifies a co-marketer which directed the user from its WWW site to OLS site 128. Next, in step 240, enrollment means 145 attempts to enroll the user in OLS 140. In this step, the enrollment means 145 obtains a co-marketer identification code (CMID) associated with the destination URL using look-up table 300 (shown in Figure 3). For each valid co-marketer in system 100, table 300 has one or more entries representing the second portion of a potential destination URL that might be generated by such a co-marketer. Thus, each entry in table 300 has a record 310 representing a UNIX symbolic link (310a) and destination filename (310b) that may be provided by a valid co-marketer, and a corresponding record 320 representing a CMID associated with the co-marketer assigned to UNIX symbolic link 310a in system 100. Ifthe second portion ofthe destination URL is not recognized as corresponding to a valid CMID, the enrollment session is terminated. A list of valid (or authorized) CMID's is preferably stored in a Co-Marketer Information Directory Table on enrollment database 146 shown in Figure 4. The Co-Marketer
Information Directory Table on enrollment database 146 is formed of a plurality of individual records 440, each of which contains a field 442 for storing the CMID of a system authorized co-marketer.
Referring still to step 240, ifthe enrollment means 145 determines that the user has been directed to OLS 140 from an authorized co-marketer, the enrollment means attempts to enroll the user in OLS 140 by assigning the user a unique user identification number and then asking the user to enter various personal information which is then stored in a Subscriber Information Directory Table on enrollment database 146. As shown in Figure 4, the Subscriber Information Directory Table on enrollment database 146 is formed of a plurality of individual records 400, each of which contains several fields for storing information about a particular user. More particularly, for each user enrolled on OLS 140 there is a record 400 with a field 402 for storing the unique user identification number assigned to the user, a field 404 for storing the CM ID ofthe co-marketer that directed the user to OLS 140, fields 406, 408, 410 for respectively storing the name, address and telephone number ofthe user, fields 412, 414 for respectively storing the grade level and gender ofthe user, fields 416, 418 for storing information representing the occupations of the user's parents, field 420 for storing the user's number of siblings, and fields 422, 424,
426, 428 and 430 for respectively storing information representing the type of computer used by the user, the user's modem speed, the display capabilities ofthe user's display, the size of the memory ofthe user's PC, and the identity ofthe communications link (e.g.. the Internet, the Prodigy® network, the CompuServe® network, or the Microsoft® network) used for accessing OLS 140.
In addition to storing information about the user in the Subscriber Information Directory Table on enrollment database 146, information about the user being enrolled in step 240 is also stored on a separate Customer Information Directory located on accounting database 144. As shown in Figure 4, the Customer Information Directory Table on accounting database 144 is formed of a plurality of individual records 450, each of which contains several fields for storing information about a particular user. Fields 452, 454, 456, 458 and 460 store substantially the same information as that which is stored respectively in fields 402, 404, 406, 408 and 410, respectively, described above. However, in step 240 the user is also prompted by the enrollment means 145 to choose an enrollment plan and enter certain personal financial information which is then stored in records 450. In a preferred embodiment, the user may select either a free trial membership or one of several active membership plans, and a code representing the enrollment plan selected by the user is then stored in field 462. Ifthe user has selected either an active or free trial membership plan, the user is prompted to enter credit card information for paying for the selected enrollment plan. This credit card information is stored in field 474 and used by billing means 143 to verify that the user is credit worthy. Referring again to Figure 2, following the entry ofthe user information into records 400, 450, processing proceeds to step 250, where enrollment means 145 downloads a copy of user software 106a onto user station 102a. Unlike the user software 106 described above, user software 106a does not include any embedded CM ID information, or, to state it another way, user software 106a contains a "null" CM ID field embedded therein. Referring still to Figure 2, if a determination is made in step 220 that the user is operating on a user station 102 that connected to OLS 140 through channel 108, then processing proceeds to step 260 where enrollment means 145 determines a CM ID associated with the user station 102a. In contrast to step 230, the CM ID is determined in step 260 from an embedded CM ID stored on user software 106 which was previously loaded (in step 202) on user station 102. Next, in step 270, enrollment means 145 attempts to enroll the user in OLS 140. Step 270 is substantially the same as step 240 described above, except in step 270 the CM ID used for creating and updating the records 400 and 450 represents the CM ID embedded in software 106, as opposed to a CM ID determined from a UNIX symbolic link passed to OLS 140 over WWW 120. Following either step 250 or 270, processing proceeds to step 280, where enrollment means 145 communicates with billing means 143 to determine whether the user is credit worthy. In addition, enrollment means 145 determines (based on the information stored in field 462) whether the user has enrolled as an active (L , non-trial) user. Ifthe user is credit worthy and has enrolled as an active user, processing proceeds to step 285, where a payment record for paying a one-time bounty (or referral fee) to the co-marketer that directed the user to OLS 140 is created.
As explained more fully below, the amount ofthe one-time bounty payment created in step 285 is preferably dependent on the number of users previously directed to OLS 140 by the co-marketer during a previous period (month or quarter). A Co-Marketer Information Directory located on accounting database 144 is provided for storing information about each authorized co-marketer on OLS 140. As shown in Figure 4, the Co- Marketer Information Directory Table on accounting database 144 is formed of a plurality of records 480, each of which contains several fields for storing information about a particular authorized co-marketer. More particularly, a field 482 is provided for storing the CM ID associated with a co-marketer, and fields 484, 486 and 488 are respectively provided for storing name, address and telephone number information representing the co-marketer. In addition, each time a user is enrolled on OLS 140, the values in fields 492 and 496, which respectively represent the total number of users directed to OLS 140 by the co-marketer and the number of users directed to OLS 140 during the current month are incremented. Each record 480 also contains a field 494 representing the number of users that were directed to OLS by the co-marketer during the previous month. In a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the value stored in field 494 is used in step 285 in calculating the amount ofthe one time bounty payment to be paid to the co-marketer. More particularly, a higher one-time bounty payment will be paid to a co-marketer in step 285 ifthe number of prior enrollees represented in field 494 exceeds a predetermined threshold.
When a user reaches OLS site 128 from a previous location on WWW 120, the user will typically be initially directed to the home page at web site 128. In a first embodiment ofthe present invention described above in connection with Figure 2, the user may enroll on OLS 140 directly from the home page of site 128 upon reaching site 128. In alternate preferred embodiments described below, the user may browse through the home web page of site 128, and then through various further web pages at site 128, prior to reaching an enrollment page at site 128 (e^, WWW.OLS.COMY..\ENROLL\ENROLL.Pl) from which the user then enrolls onto OLS 140. These alternate preferred embodiments are described respectively in connection with Figures 5 and 6. Since the systems described in connection with Figures 5 and 6 permit a user to traverse multiple pages at site 128 prior to enrolling on OLS 140, these systems function to preserve the UNIX symbolic link information originally passed to OLS site 128 from a prior web site as the user moves between web pages at site 128.
Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a schematic diagram illustrating the use of UNIX symbolic links and relative URL addressing for moving between page locations at OLS site 128, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention. URL 502 points to the home page address of OLS site 128 on the WWW. URLs 504, 506, 508 also point to the home page address of OLS site 128 on the WWW; however, URLs 504, 506, 508 each include a UNIX symbolic link (/CM1, /CM2, /CM3) appended thereto. As described above, in the present invention, each UNIX symbolic link appended to a URL represents the identity of a co-marketer that directed a user to the home page address of OLS site 128. When the user arrives at the home page of OLS site 128, the user may then browse through various pages provided by OLS site 128 on the WWW. For example, the user may view pages providing information about OLS 140 by clicking on a "table of contents" entry on the home page of OLS site 128. Upon clicking on this "table of contents" entry on the home page, the user is directed to a Table of Contents Page represented by URL 510. From this Table of Contents Page, the user may click on individual pages (e.g.. Info.Pl, Info.P2, etc.) listed on the Table of Contents Page. Upon clicking on an individual page such as, for example, Information Page 1, the user is directed to a first information page represented by URL 514.
As described above in the background section, when relative URL addressing is used to move between pages on WWW 120, a user may only move between pages in the user's current directory or to a subdirectory located below the user's current directory in a directory tree such as that shown in Figure 5. Thus, when standard relative URL addressing is used, it is not possible for a user to move from the page represented by URL 514 to the page represented by URL 518 and still preserve the UNIX symbolic link/CMID information described above. In the example shown in Figure 5, the page 514a represented by URL 514 contains a box giving the user an option to enroll on OLS 140. In accordance with the present invention, ifthe user clicks on the "Enroll on OLS" box on page 514a, a special redirecting program (redirect. cgi) is triggered on web server 142 for redirecting the user from the page represented by URL 514 to the OLS enrollment page represented by URL
518. A pseudo-code version ofthe redirect. cgi program is shown in Table I below: main( input_parameters ) { // lastjjr 1 will hold the URL for the page the user was on
// when they wanted to redirect upward, (for example // "http://www.ols.com/cml/subdirl/subdir2/subdir3/info2.html")
last url = input_parameter[x];
// destination will hold the page they want to redirect to. // It contains one or more "../" substrings. // (example. " ../.. subdirx/enroll.htm")
destination = input_parameter[y];
// count_substrings() counts the number of substrings ("../") // within the given string of characters (destination). // In this example it would return the number "2".
number_of_levels_up = count_substrings(".J", destination ) ;
// remove_n_levels() takes a fully specified URL such as // "http ://www. ols.com/cm 1 /subdir 1 /subdir2/subdir3/page.htm" // and removes a given number of directories and the page name. // For example if number_of_levels_up is 2, the output from // remove_n_levels(last_ur 1 ,2) would be
// "http://wrVw.ols.com/cml/subdirl/"
new directory = remove_n_levels( last url, number_of_levels_up ); // get_relative_url() takes the given string and retums the portion
// after all ofthe "../" substrings. Thus in this example it retums // "subdirx/enroll.htm"
relative url = get_relative_url( destination );
// concatenate() takes 2 strings and splices the second one // onto the back ofthe first, (in the example this yields: // "http://www.ols.com/cml/subdirl/subdirx/enroll.htm")
new absolute url = concatenate( new directory, relative url );
// redirect_browser() sends a "Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (http)"
// message back to the user's web browser telling it to get the given URL. redirect_browser( new_absolute_url );
TABLE I Thus, the redirect. cgi program accepts as arguments the current URL ofthe user (e.g.. URL 514) and a destination URL representing the location to which the user desires to move (e.g.. URL 518). The program then strips the ".../Info/Info.Pl" portion off of the current URL 514, and replaces the striped portion with the ".../Enroll/Enroll.Pl" portion of destination URL 518 to form a new URL which is then used for redirecting the user to the page represented by URL 518. The redirect, cgi program is significant to the operation ofthe present invention because, among other things, this program allows the UNIX symbolic link information that was originally passed when the user arrived at the home page of OLS site 128 to be retained as the user moves between pages at OLS site 128. Thus, the redirecting. cgi program insures that the UNIX symbolic link information provided by a co-marketer will be present when the enrollment means 145 attempts to enroll the user on OLS 140.
The redirect. cgi program discussed in connection with Figure 5 and Table I above represents a first preferred system for retaining at site 128 the UNIX symbolic link information (that was originally passed when the user originally arrived at OLS site 128 from a previous site) as the user moves between web pages at OLS site 128. In accordance with an altemative preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, a further system (described in connection with Figure 6 and Table II below) may altematively be used to store and transmit the UNIX symbolic link information that was originally passed when the user arrived at the home page of OLS site 128. In this altemate embodiment, the URL used to direct a user from a previous site (e.g.. 122a, 122b, 122c) to OLS site 128 includes a string which functions to call a special page link.cgi program which runs on web server 142. The string passed to OLS site 128 also contains (i) a destination page identifier (or filename) representing the particular web page at site 128 to which the user has been directed by the previous web site, and (ii) a UNIX symbolic link or CMID code associated with the previous web site. More particularly, the destination page identifier and the UNIX symbol link information/CMID code are included in the string as arguments to the page link.cgi program. An exemplary URL which invokes the page link.cgi program and that could be used by co-marketer site 122a for directing a web user from a site 122a to the home page of site 128 is shown below:
WWW.OLS.COM\page_link.cgi ? index @ CM1
The first portion ( &, WWW.OLS.COM) of this exemplary URL identifies web site 128 as the web site to which the user is being directed. The remaining portion (i.e.. page link.cgi ? index @ CM1) ofthe URL represents a call to the pagejink.cgi program. The program call includes two arguments, namely, a destination page identifier (i.e.. index) representing the particular page at site 128 to which the user has been directed, and a UNIX symbolic link/CMID code ( ≤,, CM1) representing the identity ofthe web site 122a that directed the user to site 128. Referring now to Figure 6, there is shown a flow diagram of a system 600 for implementing the page link.cgi program. In step 610, when web server 142 receives a URL which includes a string containing a call to the page link.cgi program, the page link.cgi program is invoked on the web server 142. Next, in step 620, the page link.cgi program extracts the destination page identifier (e.g.. index) and UNIX symbolic link/CMID code (e.g.. CM1) that were contained as arguments in the page ink.cgi program call. Next, the page at web site 128 represented by the destination page identifier is retrieved. Each page at web site 128 is represented by a file which includes one or more fields containing further URLs representing links to other pages at web site 128 (intemal page links) or to pages at web sites other than site 128 (extemal page links). Each URL in the destination page is then selected and tested (in steps 630 and 640) in order to determine whether the URL includes a string for calling the page link.cgi program. Ifthe URL does include the "page link.cgi" string, a further determination is made (in step 650) whether the URL represents an intemal or extemal page link. In this step, the URL will be determined as representing an intemal page link ifthe first portion ofthe URL represents OLS site 128 ( e^, "WWW.OLS.COM') or if there is no site name portion in the URL; otherwise the URL will be determined as representing an extemal page link. Next, in step 660, for each intemal URL in the destination page which includes a string for calling the page link.cgi program, the page link.cgi program appends the UNIX symbolic link/CMID code (i.e.. CM1) originally passed as an argument to the program to the end ofthe URL. In addition, in step 670, for each extemal URL in the destination page which includes the "page link.cgi" string, the pagejink.cgi program appends the UNIX symbolic link CMID originally passed to the program followed by a UNIX symbolic link/CMID representing OLS site 128 (e.g.. /OLS) to the end ofthe URL. The process is then repeated from step 630 for each URL on the destination page. The destination page, which includes URLs having the appended codes described above is then passed back to the user in step 690. Thereafter, when the user desires to move off of the destination page (passed to the user in step 690), the user will select one ofthe URL page links on the user's page as a new destination page. Ifthe URL corresponding to this new destination page contains a call to the pagejink.cgi program described above, the process described above is repeated from step 610 using the URL ofthe new destination. A pseudo-code listing of an exemplary web page file and ofthe page link.cgi program are shown below in Table II.
** WEB PAGE FILE PSEUDO CODE**
<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Online Service Home Page</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY>
<A HREF="http://www. ols.com/cgi-bin/page link.cgi?enrollt&CMl">Enroll page on OLS 140</A>
<A HREF="http://www.other.com/">Visit another company's web pages</A>
<A HREF="http : //www. cm. com cgi-bin/page Jink. cgi?index«feCM 1 &OLS ">Maintain comarketer info and visit another site</A> < BODY> </HTML>
** PAGE LINK CGI PSUEDO CODE **
PageLink (URL) { get destinationPageName and CMID string from URL
// assuming the following URL:
// "http://www.ols.com/cgi-bin/pageJink. cgi?index&CMl " // destinationPageName is index, as it follows "pagejink.cgi?"
// and the CMID_string is "CM1 ", as it follows the
// destinationPageName (and is separated by a "&").
//
// CMID_string consists of one or more comarketer codes // separated by "&" characters, and records the path taken
// by the user through web sites which employ this tracking
// system
put contents of page named destinationPageName into destinationPage for each URL in destinationPage
{ if URL contains page link. cgi call and refers to an intemal URL
{ // if there is no site name or ifthe site name matches
// this on-line service's, the URL is intemal
append CMID string to URL
} else if URL contains pagejink.cgi call and is an extemal URL
{
// if there is a site name and it does not match that of OLS 140, // the URL is extemal
append CMID string to URL append OLS string to URL
// OLS_string refers to the CMID code of // the site running this instance ofthe pagejink.cgi // application, and is unique among all sites participating. }
// note that nothing is done to URLs which do not refer to // the page link. cgi application, since no comarketer code // tracking is done when users follow these links
} send page }
TABLE II
In the embodiment shown in Figure 6 and described above, each page link URL on a web page at site 128 will preferably include a call to the page link, cgi program ifthe page link points to either (i) a further web page at site 128, or (ii) a further web site which is adapted to recognize UNIX symbolic links that have been inserted into a URL by a previous web site during a user session. By inserting the pagejink.cgi program call and UNIX symbolic link information into each page link that points to a further web page at site 128, the system insures that the UNIX symbolic link information originally passed to site 128 by a previous web site will be available when OLS 140 attempts to enroll the user into OLS 140. In addition, by inserting the UNIX symbolic link information associated with both a previous web site 122a, b, c and OLS site 140 into page links associated with different web sites (other than site 128), the system permits the user to carry UNIX symbolic link information representing previous location(s) traversed during a user session to further web sites.
Referring now to Figure 7, there is shown a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a system 700 for generating recurring bounty payment records, in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention. In addition to providing each co- marketer with a one-time bounty payment each time a user directed to OLS 140 by the co¬ marketer enrolls on OLS 140, billing means 143 also generates "recurring" bounty payment records for certain selected co-marketers that have secured a preferred status with OLS 140. Information representing whether or not a particular co-marketer has such preferred status (and is thus eligible to receive a recurring bounty payment) is stored in field 490 of records 480. As shown in system 700, a recurring bounty payment is determined for each preferred co-marketer on a periodic basis based on the number of users that were referred to OLS 140 by the co-marketer (at any time) and which are still active subscribers on OLS 140. Referring still to Figure 7, in step 710 a counter used for determining the total number of active users associated with each co-marketer is initialized, preferably to zero. Next, in step 720 a co-marketer record 480 having a preferred status (as indicated by field 490) is selected for processing. Next, a user record 450 having the same CM ID (as indicated by field 454) as that ofthe selected co-marketer is selected for processing. If field 470 ofthe selected user record indicates that the selected user is still an active user and the user has been an active user on OLS 140 for at least 90 days (as indicated by field 476), then processing proceeds to step 750 where the recurring user counter is incremented. Next, in step 760, the process is repeated from step 730 until each user record 450 having the same CM ID as the selected co-marketer has been processed. Thereafter, in step 770, the billing means 143 generates a recurring bounty payment for the selected co-marketer by multiplying a value represented by the recurring user counter with a per user bounty amount. Finally, in step 780, the process is repeated from step 710 until each co-marketer having a preferred status has been processed. In an altemate preferred embodiment ofthe present invention (not shown), the value stored in field 492 may be used by system 700 (at step 770) in calculating the rate of each recurring bounty payment to be paid to each preferred co-marketer. More particularly, a higher recurring bounty payment rate may be paid to a co-marketer ifthe value of enrollees represented in field 492 exceeds a predetermined threshold. Furthermore, it is to be understood that although the present invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, various modifications, known to those skilled in the art, may be made to the structures and process steps presented herein without departing from the invention as recited in the several claims appended hereto.

Claims

What is claimed is:
1. A method for tracking the navigation path of a user that has been directed to a second site on a world wide web (WWW) from a first site on said WWW, said first site having a universal resource locator (URL) for uniquely identifying an address of said first site on said WWW, said second site having a URL for uniquely identifying an address of said second site on said WWW, said first site including means for directing said user from said first site to said second site, comprising the steps of:
(A) receiving a composite URL at said second WWW site when said user is directed from said first site to said second site, said composite URL having a first portion corresponding to said URL of said second site, said composite URL having a second portion, said second portion including information corresponding to said identity of said first site;
(B) capturing, at said second WWW site, said information representative of said identity of said first site from said second portion of said composite URL; and
(C) determining, at said second WWW site, said identity of said first WWW site by comparing information from said second portion of said composite URL to a table having a plurality of entries each of which is representative of a known WWW site.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said second portion of said composite
URL is formed of a UNIX symbolic link representing said first site and a destination filename representing a destination page of said user at said second site.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said URL of said first site represents a web page of said first site on said WWW.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first portion of said composite
URL represents a home page of said second site on said WWW.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein said first site represents a co-marketer of on-line services on said WWW and said second site represents an on-line service on said WWW.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:
(E) using, at said second WWW site, said identity of said first WWW site determined in step (D) to pay a bounty to said co-marketer. 7 The method of claim 6, wherein said composite URL is generated at said first WWW site when said user is directed from said first site to said second site
8 An apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user that has been directed to a second site on a world wide web (WWW) from a first site on said WWW, said first site having a universal resource locator (URL) for uniquely identifying an address of said first site on said WWW, said second site having a URL for uniquely identifying an address of said second site on said WWW, said first site including means for directing said user from said first site to said second site, comprising:
(A) means, at said second WWW site, for receiving a composite URL at said second WWW site when said user is directed from said first site to said second site, said composite URL having a first portion corresponding to said URL of said second site, said composite URL having a second portion, said second portion including information corresponding to said identity of said first site, (B) means for capturing, at said second WWW site, said information representative of said identity of said first site from said second portion of said composite URL, and (C) means for determining, at said second WWW site, said identity of said first WWW site by comparing information from said second portion of said composite URL to a table having a plurality of entπes each of which is representative of a known WWW site
9 The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said second poπion of said composite URL is formed of a UNIX symbolic link representing said first site and a destination filename representing a destination page of said user at said second site 10 The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said URL of said first site represents a web page of said first site on said WWW
11 The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said first portion of said composite URL represents a home page of said second site on said WWW
12 The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said first site represents a co- marketer of on-line services on said WWW and said second site represents an on-line service on said WWW
13 The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising (E) bounty payment means, coupled to said means for determining, for generating a payment record for paying a bounty to said co-marketer.
PCT/US1996/014989 1995-09-20 1996-09-13 Method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user on the world wide web WO1997011430A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU72404/96A AU7240496A (en) 1995-09-20 1996-09-13 Method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user on the world wide web

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US08/531,370 US5717860A (en) 1995-09-20 1995-09-20 Method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user on the world wide web
US08/531,370 1995-09-20

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1997011430A1 true WO1997011430A1 (en) 1997-03-27

Family

ID=24117346

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1996/014989 WO1997011430A1 (en) 1995-09-20 1996-09-13 Method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user on the world wide web

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US5717860A (en)
AU (1) AU7240496A (en)
WO (1) WO1997011430A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6081835A (en) * 1996-04-04 2000-06-27 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Internet server and method of controlling an internet server

Families Citing this family (329)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8352400B2 (en) 1991-12-23 2013-01-08 Hoffberg Steven M Adaptive pattern recognition based controller apparatus and method and human-factored interface therefore
US7831470B1 (en) * 1996-09-04 2010-11-09 Walker Digital, Llc Method and apparatus for facilitating electronic commerce through providing cross-benefits during a transaction
US6196458B1 (en) * 1997-12-01 2001-03-06 Walker Digital, Llc Method and apparatus for printing a billing statement to provide supplementary product sales
US6321208B1 (en) * 1995-04-19 2001-11-20 Brightstreet.Com, Inc. Method and system for electronic distribution of product redemption coupons
US20020178051A1 (en) 1995-07-25 2002-11-28 Thomas G. Scavone Interactive marketing network and process using electronic certificates
JP3441306B2 (en) * 1995-09-12 2003-09-02 株式会社東芝 Client device, message transmission method, server device, page processing method, and relay server device
US5819285A (en) * 1995-09-20 1998-10-06 Infonautics Corporation Apparatus for capturing, storing and processing co-marketing information associated with a user of an on-line computer service using the world-wide-web.
US5845290A (en) * 1995-12-01 1998-12-01 Xaxon R&D Ltd. File recording support apparatus and file recording support system for supporting recording of file on home page on internet and intranet
US5884309A (en) * 1995-12-06 1999-03-16 Dynamic Web Transaction Systems, Inc. Order entry system for internet
US9519915B1 (en) 1996-12-23 2016-12-13 Catalina Marketing Corporation System and method for providing shopping aids and incentives to customer through a computer network
US5970469A (en) * 1995-12-26 1999-10-19 Supermarkets Online, Inc. System and method for providing shopping aids and incentives to customers through a computer network
JP2861908B2 (en) * 1996-01-16 1999-02-24 日本電気株式会社 Browsing device
US20090012864A1 (en) * 2007-07-02 2009-01-08 Goldberg Sheldon F Compensation model for network services
US5823879A (en) * 1996-01-19 1998-10-20 Sheldon F. Goldberg Network gaming system
US9530150B2 (en) * 1996-01-19 2016-12-27 Adcension, Llc Compensation model for network services
US6264560B1 (en) 1996-01-19 2001-07-24 Sheldon F. Goldberg Method and system for playing games on a network
US20010042089A1 (en) * 1996-01-22 2001-11-15 Tobin William J. Method and system for customizing marketing services on networks Communicating with hypertext tagging conventions
US6141666A (en) * 1996-01-22 2000-10-31 Internet Consultants Llc Method and system for customizing marketing services on networks communicating with hypertext tagging conventions
JP2985756B2 (en) * 1996-02-16 1999-12-06 日本電気株式会社 Information service terminal
US6189030B1 (en) * 1996-02-21 2001-02-13 Infoseek Corporation Method and apparatus for redirection of server external hyper-link references
US6034689A (en) 1996-06-03 2000-03-07 Webtv Networks, Inc. Web browser allowing navigation between hypertext objects using remote control
US6473099B1 (en) * 1996-06-03 2002-10-29 Webtv Networks, Inc. Automatically upgrading software over a satellite link
US5854630A (en) * 1996-07-01 1998-12-29 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Prospective view for web backtrack
US6070145A (en) * 1996-07-12 2000-05-30 The Npd Group, Inc. Respondent selection method for network-based survey
US6182139B1 (en) 1996-08-05 2001-01-30 Resonate Inc. Client-side resource-based load-balancing with delayed-resource-binding using TCP state migration to WWW server farm
US6016504A (en) * 1996-08-28 2000-01-18 Infospace.Com, Inc. Method and system for tracking the purchase of a product and services over the Internet
US6108637A (en) * 1996-09-03 2000-08-22 Nielsen Media Research, Inc. Content display monitor
US20050043994A1 (en) * 1996-09-04 2005-02-24 Walker Jay S. Method for allowing a customer to obtain a discounted price for a transaction and terminal for performing the method
US7818284B1 (en) 1996-09-04 2010-10-19 Walker Digital, Llc Method and apparatus for providing cross-benefits via a central authority
US5938726A (en) * 1996-10-04 1999-08-17 Motorola, Inc. Apparatus for reading an electronic network navigation device and a peripheral for use therewith
US6138151A (en) * 1996-09-23 2000-10-24 Motorola, Inc. Network navigation method for printed articles by using embedded codes for article-associated links
US6081827A (en) * 1996-09-23 2000-06-27 Motorola, Inc. Network navigation methods and systems using an article of mail
US5960409A (en) * 1996-10-11 1999-09-28 Wexler; Daniel D. Third-party on-line accounting system and method therefor
US5930479A (en) * 1996-10-21 1999-07-27 At&T Corp Communications addressing system
US5948061A (en) * 1996-10-29 1999-09-07 Double Click, Inc. Method of delivery, targeting, and measuring advertising over networks
EP0844572A1 (en) * 1996-11-22 1998-05-27 Webtv Networks, Inc. User interface for controlling audio functions in a web browser
US6134533A (en) * 1996-11-25 2000-10-17 Shell; Allyn M. Multi-level marketing computer network server
CA2274050A1 (en) * 1996-12-09 1998-06-18 Motorola, Inc. System, device, and method for routing dhcp packets in a public data network
US5854897A (en) * 1996-12-27 1998-12-29 Quantum Systems, Inc. Network communications marketing system
JPH10200575A (en) * 1997-01-08 1998-07-31 Fujitsu Ltd On-line shopping system
PL334802A1 (en) * 1997-01-09 2000-03-13 Media Metrix Method of remotely monitoring the access to files in a public computer network
US20030208535A1 (en) 2001-12-28 2003-11-06 Appleman Kenneth H. Collaborative internet data mining system
EP0974098A4 (en) 1997-02-07 2000-10-25 About Com Inc Collaborative internet data mining system
US7324972B1 (en) 1997-03-07 2008-01-29 Clickshare Service Corporation Managing transactions on a network: four or more parties
US20020133412A1 (en) * 1997-03-07 2002-09-19 David M. Oliver System for management of transactions on networks
US7729988B1 (en) 1997-03-21 2010-06-01 Walker Digital, Llc Method and apparatus for processing credit card transactions
US5796952A (en) * 1997-03-21 1998-08-18 Dot Com Development, Inc. Method and apparatus for tracking client interaction with a network resource and creating client profiles and resource database
US6182072B1 (en) * 1997-03-26 2001-01-30 Webtv Networks, Inc. Method and apparatus for generating a tour of world wide web sites
US6892226B1 (en) * 1997-03-27 2005-05-10 Intel Corporation System for delivery of dynamic content to a client device
KR100237646B1 (en) * 1997-04-14 2000-01-15 구자홍 Two image simultaneously displaying method of internet tv
US6002946A (en) 1997-04-14 1999-12-14 Motorola, Inc. Handheld device having an optical data reader
US5970230A (en) * 1997-04-21 1999-10-19 Huck; Mark M. Apparatus and method for creating a virtual channel on a network of computers
US6044376A (en) * 1997-04-24 2000-03-28 Imgis, Inc. Content stream analysis
US6144944A (en) * 1997-04-24 2000-11-07 Imgis, Inc. Computer system for efficiently selecting and providing information
US6199104B1 (en) 1997-04-28 2001-03-06 Sabre Inc. Server-based host monitor
US6286029B1 (en) 1997-04-28 2001-09-04 Sabre Inc. Kiosk controller that retrieves content from servers and then pushes the retrieved content to a kiosk in the order specified in a run list
US6356934B1 (en) * 1997-04-28 2002-03-12 Sabre Inc. Intermediate server having control program for storing content accessed during browsing sessions and playback program for asynchronously replaying browsing sessions
US6243700B1 (en) 1997-05-16 2001-06-05 Paul Zellweger Method and apparatus for generating a hypertext-based content menu using an open hierarchical data structure
US6052716A (en) * 1997-05-22 2000-04-18 International Business Machines Corporation Apparatus and method in hierarchy of internet web pages for fast return to a network page
US7020622B1 (en) * 1997-06-10 2006-03-28 Linkshare Corporation Transaction tracking, managing, assessment, and auditing data processing system and network
US7778877B2 (en) * 2001-07-09 2010-08-17 Linkshare Corporation Enhanced network based promotional tracking system
US5949415A (en) * 1997-06-16 1999-09-07 Intel Corporation Method and apparatus for tracking program usage in a computer system
WO1998058334A1 (en) * 1997-06-16 1998-12-23 Doubleclick Inc. Method and apparatus for automatic placement of advertising
US6137654A (en) * 1997-06-23 2000-10-24 Motorola, Inc. Device having a diskette-like housing and a wireless transceiver and methods therefor
US6353929B1 (en) * 1997-06-23 2002-03-05 One River Worldtrek, Inc. Cooperative system for measuring electronic media
US6029141A (en) * 1997-06-27 2000-02-22 Amazon.Com, Inc. Internet-based customer referral system
US6112240A (en) * 1997-09-03 2000-08-29 International Business Machines Corporation Web site client information tracker
US6012066A (en) * 1997-10-01 2000-01-04 Vallon, Inc. Computerized work flow system
AU9793798A (en) * 1997-10-06 1999-04-27 !Hey Inc. System enabling a salesperson to chat with a customer browsing the salesperson's web site
US6119098A (en) * 1997-10-14 2000-09-12 Patrice D. Guyot System and method for targeting and distributing advertisements over a distributed network
US6742030B1 (en) * 1997-11-24 2004-05-25 International Business Machines Corporation Method to keep a persistent trace of weblink use per user
US6230157B1 (en) * 1997-11-25 2001-05-08 International Business Machines Corporation Flattening complex data structures in Java/Javascript objects
JP2996937B2 (en) * 1997-12-01 2000-01-11 三菱電機株式会社 server
US8781889B2 (en) * 1997-12-01 2014-07-15 Ebay Inc. System for providing offers using a billing statement
US20020169664A1 (en) * 1997-12-01 2002-11-14 Walker Jay S. System for providing offers using a billing statement
AU1940199A (en) * 1997-12-24 1999-07-19 America Online, Inc. Asynchronous data protocol
AU710421B1 (en) * 1998-03-06 1999-09-23 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha URL-based facility enablement
AUPP221898A0 (en) 1998-03-06 1998-04-02 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Url-based facility enablement
US6112992A (en) * 1998-06-17 2000-09-05 Motorola, Inc. Optical code reader and methods and articles therefor
CA2332413A1 (en) 1998-05-15 1999-11-25 Rick W. Landsman A technique for implementing browser-initiated network-distributed advertising and for interstitially displaying an advertisement
US6572662B2 (en) * 1998-05-15 2003-06-03 International Business Machines Corporation Dynamic customized web tours
US7240022B1 (en) * 1998-05-19 2007-07-03 Mypoints.Com Inc. Demographic information gathering and incentive award system and method
US6976093B2 (en) 1998-05-29 2005-12-13 Yahoo! Inc. Web server content replication
US7143193B1 (en) 1998-05-29 2006-11-28 Yahoo! Inc. Content collection
US7581006B1 (en) * 1998-05-29 2009-08-25 Yahoo! Inc. Web service
US6290133B1 (en) 1998-06-04 2001-09-18 Motorola, Inc. Optical code reader and methods and articles therefor
US6260760B1 (en) 1998-06-17 2001-07-17 Motorola, Inc. Optical code reader including circuitry for processing the symbology
AU5234999A (en) * 1998-08-03 2000-02-28 Doubleclick Inc. Network for distribution of re-targeted advertising
EP0987639A1 (en) * 1998-09-15 2000-03-22 Canon Research Centre France S.A. Management of a table of links between documents stored on a computer server and ordering and transfer of documents in a network
US6629135B1 (en) 1998-09-17 2003-09-30 Ddr Holdings, Llc Affiliate commerce system and method
US6557015B1 (en) * 1998-09-18 2003-04-29 International Business Machines Corporation Determining whether a second hypertext document is included in a list of active document trails
US6076069A (en) 1998-09-25 2000-06-13 Oneclip.Com, Incorporated Method of and system for distributing and redeeming electronic coupons
US7827057B1 (en) 1998-10-05 2010-11-02 Walker Digital, Llc Method and apparatus for providing cross-benefits based on a customer activity
US6546374B1 (en) 1998-11-10 2003-04-08 Aether Systems, Inc. Apparatus for providing instant vendor notification in an electronic commerce network environment
US6341270B1 (en) 1998-11-10 2002-01-22 Aether Systems, Inc. Method for providing vendor notification marketing in an electronic commerce network environment
WO2000033159A2 (en) * 1998-11-25 2000-06-08 Gotsavings.Com Incentive delivery and notification system and method
WO2000033222A1 (en) * 1998-11-25 2000-06-08 Gotsavings.Com Electronic incentive system and method
US8418131B2 (en) * 1998-11-25 2013-04-09 Helmut Emmelmann Interactive server side components
US7200804B1 (en) * 1998-12-08 2007-04-03 Yodlee.Com, Inc. Method and apparatus for providing automation to an internet navigation application
US7260094B1 (en) 1998-12-22 2007-08-21 Aol Llc Localization of clients and servers
WO2000041108A1 (en) * 1998-12-31 2000-07-13 Walker Digital, Llc System and method for encouraging competitive participation in an auction
US6523061B1 (en) * 1999-01-05 2003-02-18 Sri International, Inc. System, method, and article of manufacture for agent-based navigation in a speech-based data navigation system
US7010566B1 (en) 1999-01-19 2006-03-07 International Business Machines Corporation System for controlling transmission of information on the internet
US6587838B1 (en) 1999-01-25 2003-07-01 Aether Systems, Inc. Method and system for conducting real time electronic commerce
US7904187B2 (en) 1999-02-01 2011-03-08 Hoffberg Steven M Internet appliance system and method
US6366298B1 (en) 1999-06-03 2002-04-02 Netzero, Inc. Monitoring of individual internet usage
US6223165B1 (en) * 1999-03-22 2001-04-24 Keen.Com, Incorporated Method and apparatus to connect consumer to expert
US6486892B1 (en) 1999-04-07 2002-11-26 Joseph L. Stern System and method for accessing, manipulating and viewing internet and non-internet related information and for controlling networked devices
US6161127A (en) * 1999-06-17 2000-12-12 Americomusa Internet advertising with controlled and timed display of ad content from browser
US6128651A (en) * 1999-04-14 2000-10-03 Americom Usa Internet advertising with controlled and timed display of ad content from centralized system controller
US6584492B1 (en) * 2000-01-20 2003-06-24 Americom Usa Internet banner advertising process and apparatus having scalability
US6654741B1 (en) * 1999-05-03 2003-11-25 Microsoft Corporation URL mapping methods and systems
US20030083929A1 (en) * 1999-05-17 2003-05-01 Haynes & Boone Llp Method and apparatus for tracking banner advertising
US6401077B1 (en) * 1999-05-28 2002-06-04 Network Commerce, Inc. Method and system for providing additional behavior through a web page
US6792605B1 (en) 1999-06-10 2004-09-14 Bow Street Software, Inc. Method and apparatus for providing web based services using an XML Runtime model to store state session data
US6615247B1 (en) 1999-07-01 2003-09-02 Micron Technology, Inc. System and method for customizing requested web page based on information such as previous location visited by customer and search term used by customer
US6418325B1 (en) 1999-07-12 2002-07-09 Motorola, Inc. Handheld device having an optical data reader
US6823490B1 (en) * 1999-07-19 2004-11-23 International Business Machines Corporation Enhanced position control of web pages
AUPQ206399A0 (en) 1999-08-06 1999-08-26 Imr Worldwide Pty Ltd. Network user measurement system and method
US20020198745A1 (en) * 1999-09-24 2002-12-26 Scheinuk Edward B. System and method for completing and distributing electronic certificates
US7308422B1 (en) 1999-10-08 2007-12-11 Utbk, Inc. System for recording and distributing recorded information over the internet
US20020010608A1 (en) 1999-10-08 2002-01-24 Scott Faber System for provding services in real-time overthe internet
AU3120800A (en) * 1999-10-12 2001-04-23 Mindarrow Systems, Inc. Client-side tracking of electronic commercials
US6523120B1 (en) 1999-10-29 2003-02-18 Rstar Corporation Level-based network access restriction
US6772208B1 (en) * 1999-11-04 2004-08-03 International Business Machines Corporation Method and apparatus to restrict free hyperlinking by internet content distributors to web sites of original content producers
US6539424B1 (en) * 1999-11-12 2003-03-25 International Business Machines Corporation Restricting deep hyperlinking on the World Wide Web
US6823330B1 (en) * 1999-11-16 2004-11-23 Gateway, Inc. Site home navigation control
US7249315B2 (en) 1999-11-23 2007-07-24 John Brent Moetteli System and method of creating and following URL tours
US6957233B1 (en) 1999-12-07 2005-10-18 Microsoft Corporation Method and apparatus for capturing and rendering annotations for non-modifiable electronic content
US6992687B1 (en) 1999-12-07 2006-01-31 Microsoft Corporation Bookmarking and placemarking a displayed document in a computer system
US7337389B1 (en) 1999-12-07 2008-02-26 Microsoft Corporation System and method for annotating an electronic document independently of its content
US20040268253A1 (en) * 1999-12-07 2004-12-30 Microsoft Corporation Method and apparatus for installing and using reference materials in conjunction with reading electronic content
US7028267B1 (en) * 1999-12-07 2006-04-11 Microsoft Corporation Method and apparatus for capturing and rendering text annotations for non-modifiable electronic content
US7185274B1 (en) 1999-12-07 2007-02-27 Microsoft Corporation Computer user interface architecture wherein users interact with both content and user interface by activating links
US7458014B1 (en) 1999-12-07 2008-11-25 Microsoft Corporation Computer user interface architecture wherein both content and user interface are composed of documents with links
US6714214B1 (en) 1999-12-07 2004-03-30 Microsoft Corporation System method and user interface for active reading of electronic content
US6820111B1 (en) * 1999-12-07 2004-11-16 Microsoft Corporation Computer user interface architecture that saves a user's non-linear navigation history and intelligently maintains that history
US9424240B2 (en) 1999-12-07 2016-08-23 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Annotations for electronic content
AU2774901A (en) * 2000-01-06 2001-07-16 L90, Inc. Method and apparatus for selecting and delivering internet based advertising
EP1252735B1 (en) 2000-01-12 2011-08-24 Jupiter Media Metrix, Inc. System and method for estimating prevalence of digital content on the world-wide-web
CA2398171C (en) * 2000-01-25 2016-04-05 Vistaprint Usa, Inc. Managing print jobs
AU2001241960A1 (en) * 2000-03-06 2001-09-17 Envoy Worldwide, Inc. Message-based referral marketing
US7077960B2 (en) * 2000-03-07 2006-07-18 Solvay (Societe Anonyme) Method for obtaining a purified hydrofluoroalkane, purified hydrofluoroalkane, use of same and method for analysing same
US20080052353A1 (en) * 2000-03-09 2008-02-28 Utbk, Inc. System for Recording and Distributing Recorded Information over the Internet
US7266762B1 (en) 2000-03-10 2007-09-04 International Business Machines Corporation Method and system for distributed autonomous maintenance of bidirectional hyperlink metadata on the web and similar hypermedia repository
US20020147663A1 (en) * 2000-03-31 2002-10-10 Walker Jay S. Systems and methods for facilitating a transaction by use of third party subsidies
US6978252B2 (en) * 2000-04-18 2005-12-20 Ideaflood, Inc. Method and system for transacting with network traffic
WO2001080034A1 (en) * 2000-04-18 2001-10-25 Rstar Corporation Methods and apparatuses for tracking world wide web use
US7243299B1 (en) 2000-04-21 2007-07-10 Microsoft Corporation Methods and apparatus for displaying multiple contexts in electronic documents
AU2001261232A1 (en) 2000-05-08 2001-11-20 Walker Digital, Llc Method and system for providing a link in an electronic file being presented to a user
AU2001256609A1 (en) * 2000-05-12 2001-11-20 Cyril John Higgins Method of organized retrieval of world-wide web pages
US8086697B2 (en) * 2005-06-28 2011-12-27 Claria Innovations, Llc Techniques for displaying impressions in documents delivered over a computer network
US7475404B2 (en) 2000-05-18 2009-01-06 Maquis Techtrix Llc System and method for implementing click-through for browser executed software including ad proxy and proxy cookie caching
US7415425B1 (en) * 2000-06-02 2008-08-19 Walker Digital, Llc Systems and methods wherein a security deposit facilitates a transaction in which a benefit is applied in exchange for performance of a task
US7028268B1 (en) * 2000-06-15 2006-04-11 Conley Jr Ralph F Multiple destination banners
US7599850B1 (en) * 2000-06-19 2009-10-06 Catalina Marketing Corporation Method of and system for managing promotions for purchase transactions over a network
US20020091836A1 (en) * 2000-06-24 2002-07-11 Moetteli John Brent Browsing method for focusing research
US7234108B1 (en) 2000-06-29 2007-06-19 Microsoft Corporation Ink thickness rendering for electronic annotations
US7249091B2 (en) * 2000-07-19 2007-07-24 New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Method and system for credit authorization in a member exchange
US6446044B1 (en) * 2000-07-31 2002-09-03 Luth Research Inc. Multi-layer surveying systems and methods with multi-layer incentives
US7702541B2 (en) * 2000-08-01 2010-04-20 Yahoo! Inc. Targeted e-commerce system
US6865540B1 (en) 2000-08-09 2005-03-08 Ingenio, Inc. Method and apparatus for providing group calls via the internet
US7249056B1 (en) 2000-08-17 2007-07-24 Performics, Inc. Method and system for exchanging data between affiliated sites
US7054900B1 (en) 2000-08-18 2006-05-30 Netzero, Inc. Automatic, profile-free web page recommendation
US7478089B2 (en) 2003-10-29 2009-01-13 Kontera Technologies, Inc. System and method for real-time web page context analysis for the real-time insertion of textual markup objects and dynamic content
KR20020020095A (en) * 2000-09-07 2002-03-14 김우섭 a grasping method for shifting path of web user
US6334111B1 (en) 2000-10-06 2001-12-25 Careau & Co. Method for allocating commissions over the internet using tags
GB0025299D0 (en) * 2000-10-13 2000-11-29 Ibm Request tracking for analysis of website navigation
US7761327B1 (en) * 2000-10-17 2010-07-20 Intel Corporation Ensuring that advertisements are played
US6636590B1 (en) 2000-10-30 2003-10-21 Ingenio, Inc. Apparatus and method for specifying and obtaining services through voice commands
US7542936B1 (en) 2000-11-02 2009-06-02 Utbk, Inc. Method, apparatus and system for marketing, delivering, and collecting payment for information
US7032168B1 (en) 2000-11-28 2006-04-18 Be Free, Inc. Method and apparatus for generating website links
US6957390B2 (en) * 2000-11-30 2005-10-18 Mediacom.Net, Llc Method and apparatus for providing dynamic information to a user via a visual display
US20110217394A1 (en) * 2000-12-05 2011-09-08 Brett Justin West Iridoid Based Formulations
US8790727B2 (en) * 2000-12-05 2014-07-29 Tahitian Noni International, Inc. Morinda citrifolia and iridoid based formulations
US20070196527A1 (en) * 2006-02-23 2007-08-23 Jensen Claude J Preventative and treatment effects of Morinda citrifolia on Osteoarthritis and its related conditions
US6855345B2 (en) * 2001-11-02 2005-02-15 Morinda, Inc. Preventative and treatment effects of Morinda citrifolia on diabetes and its related conditions
US7244463B2 (en) * 2005-10-18 2007-07-17 Tahitian Noni International, Inc. Garcinia mangostana L. enhanced animal food product
US7048952B2 (en) * 2002-05-21 2006-05-23 Morinda, Inc. Formulation for inhibiting fungal and microbial growth comprising morinda citrifolia puree juice
US20120237626A9 (en) * 2000-12-05 2012-09-20 Palu Afa Kehaati Profiles of lipid proteins and inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase
US8652546B2 (en) 2007-09-06 2014-02-18 Tahitian Noni International, Inc. Morinda citrifolia based formulations for regulating T cell immunomodulation in neonatal stock animals
US20110171333A1 (en) * 2000-12-05 2011-07-14 Bryant Wadsworth Morinda Citrifolia Based Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Formulations for Improved Color Stability and Increased Shelf Life of Various Meat Products
US20040192761A1 (en) * 2003-03-25 2004-09-30 Palu Afa Kehaati Preventative and treatment effects of morinda citrifolia as an aromatase inhibitor
US8574642B2 (en) 2000-12-05 2013-11-05 Tahitian Noni International, Inc. Antiviral Morinda citrifolia L. based formulations and methods of administration
US7209248B1 (en) * 2000-12-08 2007-04-24 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Managing the lifetime of distributed resource data using temporal scopes
AUPR208900A0 (en) * 2000-12-14 2001-01-11 Traffion Technologies Pty Ltd A method of deriving information relating to the browsing of a user on a network
US20020078076A1 (en) * 2000-12-15 2002-06-20 Evans David J. Simulator disposed between a server and a client system
AUPR215400A0 (en) * 2000-12-18 2001-01-25 Traffion Technologies Pty Ltd A method and apparatus for facilitating the capture, trade and optimisation of network user attention in terms of traffic across a network
US6965683B2 (en) 2000-12-21 2005-11-15 Digimarc Corporation Routing networks for use with watermark systems
US20020087969A1 (en) * 2000-12-28 2002-07-04 International Business Machines Corporation Interactive TV audience estimation and program rating in real-time using multi level tracking methods, systems and program products
US7289623B2 (en) * 2001-01-16 2007-10-30 Utbk, Inc. System and method for an online speaker patch-through
US10013695B2 (en) * 2001-01-27 2018-07-03 Rakuten Marketing Llc Methods, apparatus and articles-of-manufacture for secondary referral tracking on a public-access computer network
US20020133402A1 (en) * 2001-03-13 2002-09-19 Scott Faber Apparatus and method for recruiting, communicating with, and paying participants of interactive advertising
US20020147643A1 (en) * 2001-04-10 2002-10-10 Kelly Olsen Method for unilevel marketing
US7814020B2 (en) * 2001-04-12 2010-10-12 Nvidia International, Inc. System, method and computer program product for the recording and playback of transaction macros
US7018662B2 (en) * 2001-04-17 2006-03-28 Morinda, Inc. Palliative effects of morinda citrifolia oil and juice
AUPR505601A0 (en) * 2001-05-17 2001-06-07 Traffion Technologies Pty Ltd Method of optimising content presented to a user within a communications network
US20030014539A1 (en) * 2001-06-12 2003-01-16 Reznick Josh L. System and method for traffic management
US6993574B2 (en) * 2001-06-19 2006-01-31 Zoetics, Inc. Web-based communications addressing system and method
US7210094B2 (en) * 2001-07-11 2007-04-24 International Business Machines Corporation Method and system for dynamic web page breadcrumbing using javascript
US6963874B2 (en) * 2002-01-09 2005-11-08 Digital River, Inc. Web-site performance analysis system and method utilizing web-site traversal counters and histograms
US7647561B2 (en) * 2001-08-28 2010-01-12 Nvidia International, Inc. System, method and computer program product for application development using a visual paradigm to combine existing data and applications
US20030120762A1 (en) * 2001-08-28 2003-06-26 Clickmarks, Inc. System, method and computer program product for pattern replay using state recognition
US7185286B2 (en) * 2001-08-28 2007-02-27 Nvidia International, Inc. Interface for mobilizing content and transactions on multiple classes of devices
AU2002327525A1 (en) * 2001-08-28 2003-03-18 Clickmarks, Inc. System, method and computer program product for pattern replay using state recognition
US20040204987A1 (en) * 2001-09-04 2004-10-14 Hill Chris T. Customized catalog with on-line purchases
US6704403B2 (en) * 2001-09-05 2004-03-09 Ingenio, Inc. Apparatus and method for ensuring a real-time connection between users and selected service provider using voice mail
US7070813B2 (en) * 2001-11-02 2006-07-04 Morinda, Inc. Preventative and treatment effects of morinda citrifolia as a colon cancer cell growth inhibitor
US20110160057A1 (en) * 2001-11-14 2011-06-30 Bryant Wadsworth Morinda Citrifolia Based Antimicrobial Formulations
US7442395B2 (en) * 2002-11-14 2008-10-28 Tahitian Noni International, Inc. Formulation for treating candidiasis using Morinda citrifolia
US7580850B2 (en) * 2001-12-14 2009-08-25 Utbk, Inc. Apparatus and method for online advice customer relationship management
US20030115074A1 (en) * 2001-12-19 2003-06-19 Freeman Mark Douglas Tracking system and method
US7937439B2 (en) 2001-12-27 2011-05-03 Utbk, Inc. Apparatus and method for scheduling live advice communication with a selected service provider
US20030131097A1 (en) * 2002-01-09 2003-07-10 Stephane Kasriel Interactive path analysis
US20030131106A1 (en) * 2002-01-09 2003-07-10 Stephane Kasriel Web-page performance toolbar
US7631035B2 (en) * 2002-01-09 2009-12-08 Digital River, Inc. Path-analysis toolbar
US20030128231A1 (en) * 2002-01-09 2003-07-10 Stephane Kasriel Dynamic path analysis
US20030200145A1 (en) * 2002-04-18 2003-10-23 Brad Krassner Internet-based system and method for creating and distributing customized rich media marketing and sales materials via e-mail
US20030202009A1 (en) * 2002-04-24 2003-10-30 Stephane Kasriel Integration toolbar
US7069515B1 (en) * 2002-05-21 2006-06-27 Claria Corporation Method and apparatus for displaying messages in computer systems
JP2004094918A (en) * 2002-07-10 2004-03-25 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Information relay terminal and information distribution server
US8271778B1 (en) 2002-07-24 2012-09-18 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc System and method for monitoring secure data on a network
KR200305655Y1 (en) 2002-10-24 2003-03-03 주식회사 한국칼비테 Unit Block Type Learning Equipment for Small Children
US7603341B2 (en) 2002-11-05 2009-10-13 Claria Corporation Updating the content of a presentation vehicle in a computer network
AU2003900398A0 (en) * 2003-01-31 2003-02-13 Red Sheriff Limited Method and system of measuring and recording user data in a communications network
US20040173049A1 (en) * 2003-03-04 2004-09-09 Jun-Cheng Chen Transmission mechanism of child bicycle
US20060269630A1 (en) * 2003-04-16 2006-11-30 Palu Afa K Morinda citrifolia as a 5-Lipoxygenase inhibitor
US20050106275A1 (en) * 2003-05-02 2005-05-19 Chen Su Morinda citrifolia-based formulation for inhibiting metastasis of carcinogenic cells
JP4073826B2 (en) * 2003-06-04 2008-04-09 タヒチアン ノニ インターナショナル インコーポレーテッド Agricultural vital agent containing extract of Yaeyama Aoki
US7359498B2 (en) * 2003-06-12 2008-04-15 Utbk, Inc. Systems and methods for arranging a call
US7698183B2 (en) 2003-06-18 2010-04-13 Utbk, Inc. Method and apparatus for prioritizing a listing of information providers
US20040267610A1 (en) * 2003-06-30 2004-12-30 Altient Corp.(A Delaware Corporation) Partner director gateway
US7260783B1 (en) 2003-07-08 2007-08-21 Falk Esolutions Gmbh System and method for delivering targeted content
US20070259060A1 (en) * 2003-08-12 2007-11-08 Mian-Ying Wang Formulations and Methods for Treating Breast Cancer with Morinda Citrifolia and Methylsulfonymethane
US7886067B2 (en) * 2003-08-14 2011-02-08 Rich Hedia Club, LLC Internet-based system and method for distributing interstitial advertisements
US7886009B2 (en) 2003-08-22 2011-02-08 Utbk, Inc. Gate keeper
US8024224B2 (en) * 2004-03-10 2011-09-20 Utbk, Inc. Method and apparatus to provide pay-per-call advertising and billing
US8121898B2 (en) 2003-10-06 2012-02-21 Utbk, Inc. Methods and apparatuses for geographic area selections in pay-per-call advertisement
US9984377B2 (en) 2003-10-06 2018-05-29 Yellowpages.Com Llc System and method for providing advertisement
US8027878B2 (en) 2003-10-06 2011-09-27 Utbk, Inc. Method and apparatus to compensate demand partners in a pay-per-call performance based advertising system
US7366683B2 (en) 2003-10-06 2008-04-29 Utbk, Inc. Methods and apparatuses for offline selection of pay-per-call advertisers
US7120235B2 (en) * 2003-10-06 2006-10-10 Ingenio, Inc. Method and apparatus to provide pay-per-call performance based advertising
US7424442B2 (en) * 2004-05-04 2008-09-09 Utbk, Inc. Method and apparatus to allocate and recycle telephone numbers in a call-tracking system
US7428497B2 (en) 2003-10-06 2008-09-23 Utbk, Inc. Methods and apparatuses for pay-per-call advertising in mobile/wireless applications
US20050097088A1 (en) * 2003-11-04 2005-05-05 Dominic Bennett Techniques for analyzing the performance of websites
US8170912B2 (en) 2003-11-25 2012-05-01 Carhamm Ltd., Llc Database structure and front end
US20050198315A1 (en) * 2004-02-13 2005-09-08 Wesley Christopher W. Techniques for modifying the behavior of documents delivered over a computer network
US20050260291A1 (en) * 2004-03-10 2005-11-24 Palu Afa K Methods and compositions for reactivating acetylcholinesterase
US8078602B2 (en) * 2004-12-17 2011-12-13 Claria Innovations, Llc Search engine for a computer network
US8255413B2 (en) * 2004-08-19 2012-08-28 Carhamm Ltd., Llc Method and apparatus for responding to request for information-personalization
WO2006028826A2 (en) * 2004-09-01 2006-03-16 Paulus Wang Morinda citrifolia-based formulations and methods for weight management
US9143572B2 (en) * 2004-09-17 2015-09-22 About, Inc. Method and system for providing content to users based on frequency of interaction
US7490197B2 (en) * 2004-10-21 2009-02-10 Microsoft Corporation Using external memory devices to improve system performance
US20060141076A1 (en) * 2004-11-01 2006-06-29 Palu Afa K Morinda citrifolia based compositions and methods for inhibiting xanthine oxidase
US7818683B2 (en) * 2004-12-06 2010-10-19 Oracle International Corporation Methods and systems for representing breadcrumb paths, breadcrumb inline menus and hierarchical structure in a web environment
US7693863B2 (en) * 2004-12-20 2010-04-06 Claria Corporation Method and device for publishing cross-network user behavioral data
US9202219B2 (en) * 2005-02-16 2015-12-01 Yellowpages.Com Llc System and method to merge pay-for-performance advertising models
US8538768B2 (en) 2005-02-16 2013-09-17 Ingenio Llc Methods and apparatuses for delivery of advice to mobile/wireless devices
US7979308B2 (en) 2005-03-03 2011-07-12 Utbk, Inc. Methods and apparatuses for sorting lists for presentation
US8645941B2 (en) 2005-03-07 2014-02-04 Carhamm Ltd., Llc Method for attributing and allocating revenue related to embedded software
US20060235965A1 (en) * 2005-03-07 2006-10-19 Claria Corporation Method for quantifying the propensity to respond to an advertisement
US20060204601A1 (en) * 2005-03-09 2006-09-14 Palu Afa K Formulations and methods for preventing and treating substance abuse and addiction
US8073866B2 (en) * 2005-03-17 2011-12-06 Claria Innovations, Llc Method for providing content to an internet user based on the user's demonstrated content preferences
US7653643B2 (en) * 2005-03-24 2010-01-26 Microsoft Corporation Method and apparatus for compressing a data set
US8407206B2 (en) * 2005-05-16 2013-03-26 Microsoft Corporation Storing results related to requests for software development services
US20060280818A1 (en) * 2005-05-26 2006-12-14 Palu Afa K Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist
US20070122507A1 (en) * 2005-05-26 2007-05-31 Palu Afa K Histone deacetylase and tumor necrosis factor converting enzyme inhibition
US20070055562A1 (en) * 2005-08-23 2007-03-08 Way Out World, Llc System and methods for multi-modal game augmented interactive marketing
US20070049367A1 (en) * 2005-08-23 2007-03-01 Way Out World, Llc Methods for game augmented interactive marketing
US20070050243A1 (en) * 2005-08-23 2007-03-01 Way Out World, Llc Multi-unit system and methods for game augmented interactive marketing
US20070050242A1 (en) * 2005-08-23 2007-03-01 Way Out World, Llc Solo-unit system and methods for game augmented interactive marketing
US8599832B2 (en) 2005-09-28 2013-12-03 Ingenio Llc Methods and apparatuses to connect people for real time communications via voice over internet protocol (VOIP)
US8761154B2 (en) 2005-09-28 2014-06-24 Ebbe Altberg Methods and apparatuses to access advertisements through voice over internet protocol (VoIP) applications
US7890752B2 (en) * 2005-10-31 2011-02-15 Scenera Technologies, Llc Methods, systems, and computer program products for associating an originator of a network packet with the network packet using biometric information
US20070154579A1 (en) * 2005-11-29 2007-07-05 Palu Afa K Morinda Citrifolia Based Formulation And Methods For Weight Management
US20070237848A1 (en) * 2005-12-21 2007-10-11 Brad Rawson MORINDA CITRIFOLIA BASED COMPOSITIONS FOR TREATMENT OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DISEASES THROUGH INHIBITION OF COX-1, COX-2, INTERLEUKIN-1beta, INTERLEUKIN-6, TNF-alpha, HLE, AND iNOS
US20100153836A1 (en) * 2008-12-16 2010-06-17 Rich Media Club, Llc Content rendering control system and method
US11468453B2 (en) 2005-12-24 2022-10-11 Rich Media Club, Llc System and method for creation, distribution and tracking of advertising via electronic networks
US11004090B2 (en) 2005-12-24 2021-05-11 Rich Media Club, Llc System and method for creation, distribution and tracking of advertising via electronic networks
US10380602B2 (en) * 2005-12-24 2019-08-13 Rich Media Club, Llc System and method for creation, distribution and tracking of advertising via electronic networks
JP4909360B2 (en) 2005-12-24 2012-04-04 リッチ メディア クラブ エルエルシィ System and method for creating, distributing and tracking advertisements via an electronic network
US20070156502A1 (en) * 2005-12-31 2007-07-05 Zagros Bigvand Tracking and managing contacts through a structured hierarchy
US7720091B2 (en) * 2006-01-10 2010-05-18 Utbk, Inc. Systems and methods to arrange call back
US8125931B2 (en) * 2006-01-10 2012-02-28 Utbk, Inc. Systems and methods to provide availability indication
US20070165841A1 (en) * 2006-01-10 2007-07-19 Scott Faber Systems and methods to provide guidance during a process to establish a communication connection
US8681778B2 (en) * 2006-01-10 2014-03-25 Ingenio Llc Systems and methods to manage privilege to speak
US9197479B2 (en) 2006-01-10 2015-11-24 Yellowpages.Com Llc Systems and methods to manage a queue of people requesting real time communication connections
US7917402B2 (en) 2006-03-15 2011-03-29 Gofiniti, Llc Methods for viral marketing with visual communications
US7644862B2 (en) * 2006-03-15 2010-01-12 Gofiniti, Llc Affiliate marketing system and method for retail stores
US20100138451A1 (en) * 2006-04-03 2010-06-03 Assaf Henkin Techniques for facilitating on-line contextual analysis and advertising
EP2054789A4 (en) * 2006-04-03 2013-01-16 Kontera Technologies Inc Contextual advertising techniques implemented at mobile devices
US20070281903A1 (en) * 2006-05-04 2007-12-06 Palu Afa K Morinda Citrifolia-Based Formulation 5-LOX And 15-LOX
US8025910B2 (en) 2006-05-12 2011-09-27 Tahitian Noni International, Inc. Method and composition for administering bioactive compounds derived from Morinda citrifolia
US8535741B2 (en) 2006-05-12 2013-09-17 Morinda, Inc. Method and composition for administering bioactive compounds derived from Morinda citrifolia
US8838574B2 (en) * 2006-06-09 2014-09-16 International Business Machines Corporation Autonomic index creation, modification and deletion
US8352316B2 (en) 2006-07-27 2013-01-08 Fatwallet, Inc. Method of using a subdomain portion of a domain name to pass a unique tracking code
US20080058052A1 (en) * 2006-09-06 2008-03-06 Schwartz Marc B Multi-opportunity, risk vs. reward gaming platform
US9317855B2 (en) 2006-10-24 2016-04-19 Yellowpages.Com Llc Systems and methods to provide voice connections via local telephone numbers
US20080226758A1 (en) * 2006-11-28 2008-09-18 Shixin Deng Lipoxygenase and Cyclooxygenase Inhibition
US8620952B2 (en) 2007-01-03 2013-12-31 Carhamm Ltd., Llc System for database reporting
US8032528B2 (en) * 2007-01-12 2011-10-04 About Inc. Method and system for managing content submission and publication of content
US8451825B2 (en) 2007-02-22 2013-05-28 Utbk, Llc Systems and methods to confirm initiation of a callback
US20080213415A1 (en) * 2007-02-08 2008-09-04 Palu Afa K Treatment of Glaucoma and Diabetic Retinopathy with Morinda Citrifolia Enhanced Formulations
US10169781B1 (en) 2007-03-07 2019-01-01 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Method and system for generating information about portable device advertising
US9277019B2 (en) * 2007-06-18 2016-03-01 Yellowpages.Com Llc Systems and methods to provide communication references to connect people for real time communications
US20080317890A1 (en) * 2007-06-21 2008-12-25 Claude Jarakae Jensen Method for treating visual impairment through the prophylactic administration of a morinda citrifolia-based naturaceutical
US20090006478A1 (en) * 2007-06-25 2009-01-01 Digital River, Inc. Days and Visits to Transaction Metrics System and Method
US20090094313A1 (en) * 2007-10-03 2009-04-09 Jay Feng System, method, and computer program product for sending interactive requests for information
WO2009052531A1 (en) * 2007-10-18 2009-04-23 Linkshare Corporation Methods and systems for tracking electronic commerce transactions
US20090196944A1 (en) * 2008-02-01 2009-08-06 Brad Rawson Methods of Manufacture of Morinda Citrifolia Based Compositions for Treatment of Anti-Inflammatory Diseases through Inhibition of Cox-1, Cox-2, Interleukin -1beta, Interleukin-6, TNF-alpha, HLE, and iNOS
US8051068B2 (en) * 2008-04-21 2011-11-01 Yahoo! Inc. Trail-based exploration of a repository of documents
US20100070856A1 (en) * 2008-09-12 2010-03-18 International Business Machines Corporation Method for Graphical Visualization of Multiple Traversed Breadcrumb Trails
US8356247B2 (en) * 2008-12-16 2013-01-15 Rich Media Worldwide, Llc Content rendering control system and method
US20110213655A1 (en) * 2009-01-24 2011-09-01 Kontera Technologies, Inc. Hybrid contextual advertising and related content analysis and display techniques
US9088757B2 (en) 2009-03-25 2015-07-21 Eloy Technology, Llc Method and system for socially ranking programs
US9445158B2 (en) 2009-11-06 2016-09-13 Eloy Technology, Llc Distributed aggregated content guide for collaborative playback session
US20110131108A1 (en) * 2009-12-01 2011-06-02 Quarles & Brady LLP Internet Loyalty and Rewards System
US8775245B2 (en) 2010-02-11 2014-07-08 News America Marketing Properties, Llc Secure coupon distribution
US20110206786A1 (en) * 2010-02-23 2011-08-25 Brett Justin West Acai and Iridoid Based Formulations
US10699293B2 (en) 2010-10-07 2020-06-30 Rakuten Marketing Llc Network based system and method for managing and implementing online commerce
US20150163116A1 (en) * 2011-07-29 2015-06-11 Google Inc. Client-side click tracking
US8875099B2 (en) * 2011-12-22 2014-10-28 International Business Machines Corporation Managing symbolic links in documentation
US9219928B2 (en) 2013-06-25 2015-12-22 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and apparatus to characterize households with media meter data
US9277265B2 (en) 2014-02-11 2016-03-01 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and apparatus to calculate video-on-demand and dynamically inserted advertisement viewing probability
US10219039B2 (en) 2015-03-09 2019-02-26 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and apparatus to assign viewers to media meter data
US9848224B2 (en) 2015-08-27 2017-12-19 The Nielsen Company(Us), Llc Methods and apparatus to estimate demographics of a household
CN106878372B (en) * 2016-11-07 2020-10-02 阿里巴巴集团控股有限公司 Information pushing method and device
US10791355B2 (en) 2016-12-20 2020-09-29 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and apparatus to determine probabilistic media viewing metrics
WO2021026394A1 (en) 2019-08-06 2021-02-11 Duration Media LLC Technologies for content presentation

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5355472A (en) * 1990-04-10 1994-10-11 International Business Machines Corporation System for substituting tags for non-editable data sets in hypertext documents and updating web files containing links between data sets corresponding to changes made to the tags
US5537546A (en) * 1992-04-17 1996-07-16 Bull S.A. High-level adaptable bidirectional protocol for use between a hypermedia system and a plurality of editors
US5544322A (en) * 1994-05-09 1996-08-06 International Business Machines Corporation System and method for policy-based inter-realm authentication within a distributed processing system
US5561706A (en) * 1992-09-29 1996-10-01 Fenner; Peter R. System for managing access by mobile users to an interconnected communications network where a billing authority is identified by a billing code from the user

Family Cites Families (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4726014A (en) * 1983-01-11 1988-02-16 U.S. Holding Company, Inc. Cellular mobile radio service telephone system
US4885789A (en) * 1988-02-01 1989-12-05 International Business Machines Corporation Remote trusted path mechanism for telnet
US5159669A (en) * 1988-12-15 1992-10-27 Xerox Corporation Automatically creating a second workspace operation record including history data and a unit ID based on a first workspace operation
US5095480A (en) * 1989-06-16 1992-03-10 Fenner Peter R Message routing system for shared communication media networks
US5187787B1 (en) * 1989-07-27 1996-05-07 Teknekron Software Systems Inc Apparatus and method for providing decoupling of data exchange details for providing high performance communication between software processes
JPH03260757A (en) * 1990-03-09 1991-11-20 Toshiba Corp Decentralized computer network
WO1991017530A1 (en) * 1990-05-01 1991-11-14 Environmental Products Corporation A method of transferring display and print data
US5210820A (en) * 1990-05-02 1993-05-11 Broadcast Data Systems Limited Partnership Signal recognition system and method
WO1992004671A1 (en) * 1990-08-29 1992-03-19 Hughes Aircraft Company Distributed user authentication protocol
US5276735A (en) * 1992-04-17 1994-01-04 Secure Computing Corporation Data enclave and trusted path system
US5537586A (en) * 1992-04-30 1996-07-16 Individual, Inc. Enhanced apparatus and methods for retrieving and selecting profiled textural information records from a database of defined category structures
US5359508A (en) * 1993-05-21 1994-10-25 Rossides Michael T Data collection and retrieval system for registering charges and royalties to users
US5590180A (en) * 1993-09-30 1996-12-31 Hitachi, Ltd. Communication method of supplying information in intelligent network and apparatus therefor
US5537314A (en) * 1994-04-18 1996-07-16 First Marketrust Intl. Referral recognition system for an incentive award program
US5416842A (en) * 1994-06-10 1995-05-16 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Method and apparatus for key-management scheme for use with internet protocols at site firewalls
US5603025A (en) * 1994-07-29 1997-02-11 Borland International, Inc. Methods for hypertext reporting in a relational database management system
US5491820A (en) * 1994-11-10 1996-02-13 At&T Corporation Distributed, intermittently connected, object-oriented database and management system
US5572643A (en) * 1995-10-19 1996-11-05 Judson; David H. Web browser with dynamic display of information objects during linking

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5355472A (en) * 1990-04-10 1994-10-11 International Business Machines Corporation System for substituting tags for non-editable data sets in hypertext documents and updating web files containing links between data sets corresponding to changes made to the tags
US5537546A (en) * 1992-04-17 1996-07-16 Bull S.A. High-level adaptable bidirectional protocol for use between a hypermedia system and a plurality of editors
US5561706A (en) * 1992-09-29 1996-10-01 Fenner; Peter R. System for managing access by mobile users to an interconnected communications network where a billing authority is identified by a billing code from the user
US5544322A (en) * 1994-05-09 1996-08-06 International Business Machines Corporation System and method for policy-based inter-realm authentication within a distributed processing system

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6081835A (en) * 1996-04-04 2000-06-27 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Internet server and method of controlling an internet server

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US5717860A (en) 1998-02-10
AU7240496A (en) 1997-04-09

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5819285A (en) Apparatus for capturing, storing and processing co-marketing information associated with a user of an on-line computer service using the world-wide-web.
US5717860A (en) Method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user on the world wide web
US5812769A (en) Method and apparatus for redirecting a user to a new location on the world wide web using relative universal resource locators
US5712979A (en) Method and apparatus for attaching navigational history information to universal resource locator links on a world wide web page
US5960409A (en) Third-party on-line accounting system and method therefor
US7860758B2 (en) Method and system for providing local information over a network
US6251016B1 (en) Information offering system for providing a lottery on a network
JP4212124B2 (en) Method and apparatus for redirecting hyperlink references to external servers
US7930207B2 (en) Method of delivery, targeting, and measuring advertising over networks
US8935706B2 (en) Managing transfers of information in a communications network
US6442549B1 (en) Method, product, and apparatus for processing reusable information
US7505913B2 (en) Method and system for customizing marketing services on networks communicating with hypertext tagging conventions
US7047212B1 (en) Method and system for storing prospect lists in a computer database
JP4522583B2 (en) Requirements matching server, requirements matching system, electronic purchasing apparatus using them, electronic transaction system and method
JPH11191113A (en) Method and device for accessing geographical information in computer system
US20070083640A1 (en) Link tracking
JP2003527644A (en) Method and apparatus for processing client information
JP2002516008A (en) Storage and distribution of information over computer networks using distributed information and centralized intelligence
JP2003527627A (en) Data processing system for targeted content
JPH10254796A (en) Information providing system
JPH09135265A (en) Information providing system
EP0852351A2 (en) Entrance, cross-referencing and branching systems for computer networks
JP2002278865A (en) Device/method for providing advertising information, and storage medium
WO2001020520A2 (en) Method and system for acquiring prospect lists over a computer network
EP0971298A1 (en) Requirements matching

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AU CA CN JP MX NZ

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE

121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
DFPE Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed before 20040101)
NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: CA

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase