System and method for monitoring usage patterns

1. A method of monitoring user usage patterns of a system, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one state object, the object including a profile representative of user usage;

storing the state object at a client location;

passing, to a central server, the state object with each subsequent interaction initiation; and

receiving, from the central server, the state object along with the response of the central server;

wherein the profile is modified to reflect the interaction between the client location and the central server; and

wherein the central server audits the state object/profile passed to it, and performs analysis on the audited profile in order to direct services and/or information suited to the profile to the client location.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the profile includes at least one key and value-field pair.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the key is an identifier of a particular interaction type, and the value-field contains a count of the number of occurrences of that particular interaction type.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the value-field further contains a time component detailing the last modification of the interaction count and/or a time component detailing the creation of the key and value-field.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one state object is provided by the central server during a first interaction between the server and the client location.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the state object is provided as a part of the central server's response to a request for resources/information submitted by the client location.

7. A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the step of modifying the profile includes:

providing at least one further state object, the further state object comprising one or more key and value-field pair, and

storing the at least one further state object at the client location.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the at least one further state object is provided by the central server.

9. A method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the modification of a profile includes one or more of:

incrementing the count component of at least one key and value-field pair;

updating a time component of at least one key and value-field pair;

adding at least one further key and value-field pair to the profile; and

removing one or more key and value-field pair from the profile.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the modification of the profile is carried out within the central server.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein interaction between the client location and the central server occurs via the Internet or other analogous means.

12. A module configured to monitor user usage patterns within a system, the module resident within the system, the system comprising:

a central server; and

at least one client location;

the module comprising:

means within the central server, for generating at least one state object;

means, within the central server, for auditing the profile, and for analysing the audited profile, such that information/services suited thereto may be provided to the client location by the central server; and

means for modifying a profile representative of system usage included in the state object to reflect interactions between the central server and the client location;

wherein at least one state object is stored at the client location and passed between the client location and central server during interaction therebetween.

13. A module as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the profile includes at least one key and value-field pair.

14. A module as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the value-field contains an interaction count.

15. A module as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the value-field contains at least one of a time component detailing the last modification of the interaction count and a time component detailing the creation of the key and value-field.

16. A module as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the means for modifying includes:

means for incrementing a count which embodies a value of at least one key and value-field pair;

means for updating a time component of at least one key and value-field pair;

means for adding at least one further key and value-field pair to the profile; and

means for removing one or more key and value-field pair from the profile.

17. A module as claimed in claim 12 , wherein modifying the profile is carried out within the central server.

18. A module as claimed in claim 12 , wherein interaction between the central server and the client location occurs via the Internet or other analogous means.

19. A computer program product comprising;

a computer readable medium having stored thereon computer program means for causing a computer to monitor user usage patterns within a system, comprising:

code for providing at least one state object, the object including a profile representative of user usage;

code for storing the state object at a client location;

code for passing, to a central server, the state object with each subsequent interaction initiation; and

code for receiving, from the central server, the state object along with the response of the central server;

code for modifying the profile to reflect the interaction between the client location and the central server;

code for causing the central server to perform an audit on the state object/profile passed to it; and

code for causing the central server to perform an analysis on the audited profile in order to direct services and/or information suited to the profile to the client location.

20. A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the further state object is audited and removed after a specified time period or in response to an access by the client of a specified resource.