System and method for detecting and reporting online activity using real-time content-based network monitoring

1. A method of capturing on a computer-programmed digital electrical tracking system information about activity of a user browser accessing a Web server, the the tracking system connected to the user browser and the Web Server on the Internet, the method including:

intercepting and logging HTTP requests and responses, including:

providing the user browser with a Web page containing a URL specifying both an address of the tracking system and information that specifies a URL on the Web server;

upon receipt by the tracking system of one of the HTTP requests comprising a Web page request from the user browser, determining a Web server URL from the Web page request;

identifying and extracting captured information indicating that the user browser has requested the Web server URL, the captured information stored within one or more databases;

encoding an original URL as part of the tracking system's URL path to construct at least one rewritten URL;

embedding the rewritten URLs in a response such that a browser request to each of the rewritten embedded URLs is sent to the tracking system;

causing the Web page specified by the Web server URL to be returned to the user browser; and

providing profiling and analyzing at least one session, wherein the tracking system causes the analyzing by performing operations comprising reporting at least one of the following:

a session detail;

an event detail;

a purchase detail; and

a purchase summary.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including capturing data relating to user activity in a central database;

extracting the data from the central database based upon user profiles; and

wherein the analysis includes analyzing to predict future Internet user activity.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tracking system causes generation of the purchase detail by operations comprising reporting at least one of the following:

activity start and end dates, by a site name;

a per purchase item record that matches at least one of the parameters;

a purchase date;

a time at which the purchase occurred;

the site of the purchase;

a name of the purchased item;

a unit price of the item;

a quantity;

a price;

a user identifier; and

a credit-card type.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one comprises at least two.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one comprises at least three.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one comprises at least four.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one comprises at least five.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one comprises at least six.

9. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one comprises at least seven.

10. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one comprises at least eight.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one comprises at least nine.

12. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one comprises at least ten.

13. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one comprises at least eleven.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the analysis includes analysis of online activity and of data including credit card type usage.

15. The method of claim 3 , wherein the method causes the generation of the purchase summary by operations comprising reporting at least one of the following reportings:

activity start and end dates, by site;

a site record that matches at least one of the parameters;

the site name;

a number of purchases on the site;

a number of items purchased on the site;

a value of purchases on the site;

a number of page views on the site; and

a duration of all the sessions within the site.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said at least one of the following reportings comprises at least two.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein said at least one of the following reportings comprises at least three.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein said at least one of the following reportings comprises at least four.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein said at least one of the following reportings comprises at least five.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein said at least one of the following reportings comprises at least six.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein said at least one of the following reportings comprises at least seven.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus causes generation of the purchase summary by operations comprising reporting at least one of the following reportings:

activity start and end dates, by site;

a site record that matches at least one of the parameters;

the site name;

a number of purchases on the site;

a number of items purchased on the site;

a value of purchases on the site;

a number of page views on the site; and

a duration of all the sessions within the site.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein said at least one of the following reportings comprises at least two.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein said at least one of the following reportings comprises at least three.

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein said at least one of the following reportings comprises at least four.

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein said at least one of the following reportings comprises at least five.

27. The method of claim 22 , wherein said at least one of the following reportings comprises at least six.

28. The method of claim 22 , wherein said at least one of the following reportings comprises at least seven.

29. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes analysis of online activity and of data including credit card type usage.

30. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operations include the reporting of the purchase detail comprising at least a user identifier, and the analysis includes analysis of online activity and of data including credit card type usage.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the operations comprise reporting a purchase item.

32. A method of capturing on a computer-programmed digital electrical tracking system information about activity of a user browser accessing a Web server, the tracking system connected to the user browser and the Web Server on the Internet, the method including:

intercepting HTTP requests and responses, including:

providing the user browser with a Web page containing a URL specifying both an address of the tracking system and information that specifies a URL on the Web server;

upon receipt by the tracking system of one of the HTTP requests comprising a Web page request from the user browser, determining a Web server URL from the Web page request;

identifying and extracting captured information indicating that the user browser has requested the Web server URL, the captured information stored within one or more databases;

encoding an original URL as part of the tracking system's URL path to construct at least one rewritten URL;

embedding the rewritten URLs in a response such that a browser request to each of the rewritten embedded URLs is sent to the tracking system;

causing the Web page specified by the Web server URL to be returned to the user browser;

capturing data relating to user activity in a central database; and

providing profiling and analyzing at least one session, wherein the tracking system causes the analyzing by performing operations comprising:

extracting the data from the central database based upon user profiles.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein the operations comprise analyzing to predict future Internet user activity.

34. The method of claim 33 , wherein the operations comprise reporting at least one of the following:

a purchase detail; and

a purchase summary.

35. The method of claim 34 , wherein the at least one includes at least two.

36. The method of claim 34 , wherein the analysis includes analysis of online activity and of data including credit card type usage.

37. The method of claim 33 , wherein the analysis includes analysis of online activity and of data including credit card type usage.

38. The method of claim 32 , wherein the operations comprise reporting at least one of the following:

a purchase detail; and

a purchase summary.

39. The method of claim 38 , wherein the at least one includes at least two.

40. The method of claim 38 , wherein the analysis includes analysis of online activity and of data including credit card type usage.

41. The method of claim 32 , wherein the analysis includes analysis of online activity and of data including credit card type usage.

42. The method of claim 32 , wherein the operations comprise reporting a purchase detail comprising at least a user identifier.

43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the operations comprise reporting a purchase item.

44. The method of claim 43 , wherein the analysis includes analysis of online activity and of data including credit card type usage.