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 for region-specific data tracking, comprising:
responsive to a user at a client device interacting with a network site associated with a server machine, collecting region-specific data in a database, the collecting performed by the client device or the server machine, the collecting including:
responsive to a request that is associated with a first network address and that contains a first identifier for a first region of a view displayed on the client device, searching the database for records that contain the first identifier for the first region;
determining, from the records that contain the first identifier for the first region, a record containing a time that immediately precedes the request, the record associated with a second network address;
generating an entry that includes the first network address associated with the request, the first identifier for the first region, the second network address associated with the record immediately preceding the request, and a timestamp; and
storing the entry in the database; and
generating and storing a node structure that tracks movement of the user at the network site utilizing the region-specific data collected in the database, the node structure comprising a sequence of network addresses that originated from the first region of the view displayed on the client device, each node in the node structure representing a network address requested by the user.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a user profile or activity statement utilizing the sequence of network addresses that originated from the first region of the view displayed on the client device.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the client device stores, in a table that is local to the client device, the first network address associated with the request, the first identifier for the first region, the second network address associated with the record immediately preceding the request, and the timestamp.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein information within the table is downloaded to the database via the server machine.
5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein information within the table is downloaded to the database via the server machine on a periodic basis.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the database comprising a plurality of columns, a first column of the plurality of columns containing the first identifier for the first region, a second column of the plurality of columns containing the time that immediately precedes the request.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of columns of the database correspond to different fields including a frame identifier field, a prior network address field, a current network address field, and a time field.
8. A system for region-specific data tracking, comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one non-transitory computer readable medium; and
stored instructions translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
responsive to a user at a client device interacting with a network site associated with a server machine, collecting region-specific data in a database, the collecting including:
responsive to a request that is associated with a first network address and that contains a first identifier for a first region of a view displayed on the client device, searching the database for records that contain the first identifier for the first region;
determining, from the records that contain the first identifier for the first region, a record containing a time that immediately precedes the request, the record associated with a second network address;
generating an entry that includes the first network address associated with the request, the first identifier for the first region, the second network address associated with the record immediately preceding the request, and a timestamp; and
storing the entry in the database; and
generating and storing a node structure that tracks movement of the user at the network site utilizing the region-specific data collected in the database, the node structure comprising a sequence of network addresses that originated from the first region of the view displayed on the client device, each node in the node structure representing a network address requested by the user.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
generating a user profile or activity statement utilizing the sequence of network addresses that originated from the first region of the view displayed on the client device.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the client device stores, in a table that is local to the client device, the first network address associated with the request, the first identifier for the first region, the second network address associated with the record immediately preceding the request, and the timestamp.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
downloading information within the table to the database.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
downloading information within the table to the database on a periodic basis.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the database comprising a plurality of columns, a first column of the plurality of columns containing the first identifier for the first region, a second column of the plurality of columns containing the time that immediately precedes the request.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of columns of the database correspond to different fields including a frame identifier field, a prior network address field, a current network address field, and a time field.
15. A computer program product for region-specific data tracking, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable medium and instructions translatable by at least one processor to perform:
responsive to a user at a client device interacting with a network site associated with a server machine, collecting region-specific data in a database, the collecting including:
responsive to a request that is associated with a first network address and that contains a first identifier for a first region of a view displayed on the client device, searching the database for records that contain the first identifier for the first region;
determining, from the records that contain the first identifier for the first region, a record containing a time that immediately precedes the request, the record associated with a second network address;
generating an entry that includes the first network address associated with the request, the first identifier for the first region, the second network address associated with the record immediately preceding the request, and a timestamp; and
storing the entry in the database; and
generating and storing a node structure that tracks movement of the user at the network site utilizing the region-specific data collected in the database, the node structure comprising a sequence of network addresses that originated from the first region of the view displayed on the client device, each node in the node structure representing a network address requested by the user.
16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
generating a user profile or activity statement utilizing the sequence of network addresses that originated from the first region of the view displayed on the client device.
17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the client device stores, in a table that is local to the client device, the first network address associated with the request, the first identifier for the first region, the second network address associated with the record immediately preceding the request, and the timestamp.
18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
downloading information within the table to the database.
19. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
downloading information within the table to the database on a periodic basis.
20. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the database comprising a plurality of columns corresponding to different fields including a frame identifier field, a prior network address field, a current network address field, and a time field.