Method for continuous, frame-specific click-stream recording
View Patent ↗A method for tracking a user's movements between network addresses can include, subsequent to a request for a (current) network address from a user, receiving the network address and an identifier for a region associated with the network address. The method can also include locating a record that contains the identifier for the region and a time that immediately precedes the request for the network address from the user. The record may further contain a prior network address. The method can further include generating an entry for a table that includes the identifier for the region, the current network address, and the prior network address. A server computer or a client computer can generate the entry. Improved accountability and improved user profile accuracy can be obtained with the method. A data processing system readable medium can comprise code that includes instructions for carrying out the method.
1. A method, comprising:
subsequent to a request for a first network address from a user at a first computer, a second computer receiving from the first computer the first network address and a first identifier for a first region, the first computer displaying a first view to the user, the first view including the first region of a web page, the web page controlled by a first party, the first region associated with a second party, the first region associated with the first network address, the web page having a second network address;
the second computer locating a record that contains the first identifier for the first region and a time that immediately precedes the request for the first network address from the user, the record residing within a table in a database and further containing a third network address; and
the second computer generating an entry in the table that includes the first identifier for the first region, the first network address from the first computer, and the third network address contained in the record to thereby track movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second computer comprises a content server, and wherein the content server accesses a database to obtain information related to the first network address, generates the first view, and provides the first view to the first computer.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second computer comprises a tracking server, wherein the tracking server sends the first network address to a content server, and wherein the content server accesses a database to obtain information related to the first network address, generates the first view, and provides the first view to the first computer.
4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
generating, by the second computer based on data in the table, a node diagram for tracking the movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page when the user moves from one network address to another.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second computer uses data in the table that includes the first identifier for the first region, the first network address from the first computer, and the third network address contained in the record to track movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page relative to a second region of the web page.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second computer uses data in the table that includes the first identifier for the first region, the first network address from the first computer, and the third network address contained in the record to track movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page relative to a second region of a different web page.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second computer uses data in the table that includes the first identifier for the first region, the first network address from the first computer, and the third network address contained in the record to track movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page of a first browser application relative to a second region of a web page of a second browser application.
8. A system, comprising:
at least one server machine having a processor, non-transitory computer memory, and stored instructions translatable by the processor to perform:
subsequent to a request for a first network address from a user at a first computer, receiving from the first computer the first network address and a first identifier for a first region, the first computer displaying a first view to the user, the first view including the first region of a web page, the web page controlled by a first party, the first region associated with a second party, the first region associated with the first network address, the web page having a second network address;
locating a record that contains the first identifier for the first region and a time that immediately precedes the request for the first network address from the user, the record residing within a table in a database and further containing a third network address; and
generating an entry in the table that includes the first identifier for the first region, the first network address from the first computer, and the third network address contained in the record to thereby track movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one server machine comprises a content server, and wherein the content server accesses a database to obtain information related to the first network address, generates the first view, and provides the first view to the first computer.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one server machine comprises a tracking server, wherein the tracking server sends the first network address to a content server, and wherein the content server accesses a database to obtain information related to the first network address, generates the first view, and provides the first view to the first computer.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor to perform:
generating, based on data in the table, a node diagram for tracking the movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page when the user moves from one network address to another.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor to use data in the table that includes the first identifier for the first region, the first network address from the first computer, and the third network address contained in the record to track movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page relative to a second region of the web page.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor to use data in the table that includes the first identifier for the first region, the first network address from the first computer, and the third network address contained in the record to track movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page relative to a second region of a different web page.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor to use data in the table that includes the first identifier for the first region, the first network address from the first computer, and the third network address contained in the record to track movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page of a first browser application relative to a second region of a web page of a second browser application.
15. A computer program product having at least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions translatable by at least one processor to perform:
subsequent to a request for a first network address from a user at a first computer, receiving from the first computer the first network address and a first identifier for a first region, the first computer displaying a first view to the user, the first view including the first region of a web page, the web page controlled by a first party, the first region associated with a second party, the first region associated with the first network address, the web page having a second network address;
locating a record that contains the first identifier for the first region and a time that immediately precedes the request for the first network address from the user, the record residing within a table in a database and further containing a third network address; and
generating an entry in the table that includes the first identifier for the first region, the first network address from the first computer, and the third network address contained in the record to thereby track movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page.
16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
accessing a database to obtain information related to the first network address;
generating the first view; and
providing the first view to the first computer.
17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
sending the first network address to a content server, wherein the content server accesses a database to obtain information related to the first network address, generates the first view, and provides the first view to the first computer.
18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
generating, based on data in the table, a node diagram for tracking the movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page when the user moves from one network address to another.
19. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to use data in the table that includes the first identifier for the first region, the first network address from the first computer, and the third network address contained in the record to track movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page relative to a second region of the web page or of a different web page.
20. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to use data in the table that includes the first identifier for the first region, the first network address from the first computer, and the third network address contained in the record to track movement of the user with respect to the first region of the web page of a first browser application relative to a second region of a web page of a second browser application.