US6993590B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of creating data streams for user-specific usage data gathering systems
Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC
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Filing: 2000-01-13
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Granted: 2006-01-31
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Expires: 2020-01-13
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus are provided for capturing and managing user-specific data, where the user-specific data contains information on the user's interaction with the Net. The method generally involves using a proxy to capture or cause to capture the user-specific data and then storing the user-specific data. The user-specific data may be used to customize the contents of electronic information delivered to the particular user.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Andre Gauthier
- 👤 Kevin A. Epstein
- 👤 Anshu Aggarwal
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 14:43
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/30; G06F11/34; G06F11/3466; G06F11/3476; G06F11/3495; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/50; H04L67/535; G06F11/3438; G06F2201/00; G06F2201/875
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 78
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of capturing user-specific usage data of one or more users, the method comprising the steps of: using a proxy, through which the one or more users send messages to addresses associated with a plurality of other servers on a network, to continuously generate records that indicate the servers to which each of the one or more users sends messages; generating user-specific usage data based on the records; causing the proxy to open a connection to a first server on the network; streaming the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server; and storing the user-specific usage data at the first server.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of capturing user-specific usage data of one or more users, the method comprising the steps of: using a proxy, through which the one or more users send messages to addresses associated with a plurality of other servers on a network, to continuously generate records that indicate the servers to which each of the one or more users sends messages; generating user-specific usage data based on the records; causing the proxy to open a connection to a first server on the network; streaming the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server; and storing the user-specific usage data at the first server.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: causing the proxy to open a second connection to a second server on the network; streaming the user-specific usage data over the connection to the second server; and wherein the step of storing the user-specific usage data includes storing the user-specific usage data at the second server.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of streaming the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server includes sending the user-specific usage data to the first server in real-time as the records are generated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of streaming the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server includes storing the user-specific usage data at the proxy and sending the user-specific usage data to the first server in batches.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: causing the proxy to open a connection to a first server on the network; downloading the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server; and wherein the step of storing the user-specific usage data includes storing the user-specific usage data at the first server.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of: causing the proxy to open a second connection to a second server on the network; downloading the user-specific usage data over the connection to the second server; and wherein the step of storing the user-specific usage data includes storing the user-specific usage data at the second server.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the step of downloading the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server includes causing the first server to retrieve in real-time from the proxy the user-specific usage data as the records are generated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the step of downloading the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server includes storing the user-specific usage data at the proxy and causing the first server to retrieve the user-specific usage data in batches.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
119 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: using a second proxy, through which a second set of one or more users send messages to addresses associated with the plurality of other servers on the network, to continuously generate records that indicate the addresses to which each user in the second set of the one or more users sends messages; generating a second set of user-specific usage data based on the records; causing the second proxy to open a second connection to a first server on the network; streaming the second set of user-specific usage data over the second connection to the first server; and storing the second set of user-specific usage data at the first server.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the step of streaming the second set of user-specific usage data over the second connection to the first server includes sending the second set of user-specific usage data to the first server in real-time as the records are generated.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the step of streaming the second set of user-specific usage data over the second connection to the first server includes storing the second set of user-specific usage data at the second proxy and sending the second set of user-specific usage data to the first server in batches.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of downloading the second set of user-specific usage data over the second connection to the first server.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the step of downloading includes causing the first server to retrieve in real-time from the second proxy the second set of user-specific usage data as the records are generated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the step of downloading includes storing the second set of user-specific usage data at the second proxy and causing the first server to retrieve the second set of user-specific usage data in batches.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: the proxy maintains a cache of previously-requested electronic information; and when a message that is addressed to one of the other servers on the network requests any previously-requested electronic information stored in the cache, the proxy delivers the previously-requested electronic information to the user from the cache without forwarding the message to the one of the other servers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 15 wherein electronic information comprises documents, files, data, and application components.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: associating each user of the one or more users with a unique user_id; and associating the user-specific usage data generated for each user with the unique user_id of the user.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
82 words
The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the step of associating each user with a unique user_id comprises the steps of: inserting references to a marker item into electronic information requested by the one or more users; in response to a decoding operation performed on the references, receiving requests from the one or more users for the marker item; and in response to requests for the marker item, assigning user_ids to users that have not already been assigned user ids.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as recited in claim 18 further comprises sending to each user a test identifier when that user did not offer a proxy user_id identifier along with that user's request for the electronic information.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 19 wherein electronic information comprises documents, files, data, and application components.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method as recited in claim 18 wherein the step of assigning user_ids to users that have not already been assigned user_ids comprises: if the request for the marker item does not include any identifier, then sending to the user that issued the request a test identifier; if the request for the marker item includes the test identifier, then sending to the user that issued the request a proxy user_id identifier.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method as recited in claim 18 , further comprises: sending to each user a proxy user_id identifier, wherein the proxy user_id identifier contains the unique user_id for that user, when that user offers a test identifier along with a request for the marker item; and redirecting that user to a profiler to receive a profiler user_id identifier.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein: the messages include requests for electronic information; the user-specific usage data includes uniform resource locators of the electronic information requested by each user, and a time stamp indicating when each user requested the electronic information.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein: the messages include requests for Net pages; the user-specific usage data includes uniform resource locators of the net pages requested by each user, and a time stamp indicating when each user requested the net pages.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprises generating a record that indicates that a user requested particular electronic information in response to that user offering a proxy user_id identifier along with a request for a marker item, wherein the request for the marker item was issued in response to a reference to the marker item in the particular electronic information.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 25 wherein electronic information comprises documents, files, data, and application components.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising customizing contents of electronic information delivered to a particular user based on the user-specific usage data generated for that user.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprises using the user-specific usage data generated for the one or more users to identify Net sites that represent complementary products and services.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as recited in claim 27 , wherein the step of customizing contents of electronic information delivered to a particular user comprises sending to the particular user an advertisement targeted at the particular user.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 29 wherein electronic information comprises documents, files, data, and application components.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
141 words
A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for capturing user-specific usage data of one or more users, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of: using a proxy, through which the one or more users send messages to addresses associated with a plurality of other servers on a network, to continuously generate records that indicate the servers to which each of the one or more users sends messages; generating user-specific usage data based on the records; causing the proxy to open a connection to a first server on the network; streaming the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server; and storing the user-specific usage data at the first server.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
141 words
A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for capturing user-specific usage data of one or more users, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of: using a proxy, through which the one or more users send messages to addresses associated with a plurality of other servers on a network, to continuously generate records that indicate the servers to which each of the one or more users sends messages; generating user-specific usage data based on the records; causing the proxy to open a connection to a first server on the network; streaming the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server; and storing the user-specific usage data at the first server.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
58 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 further comprising the steps of: causing the proxy to open a second connection to a second server on the network; streaming the user-specific usage data over the connection to the second server; and wherein the step of storing the user-specific usage data includes storing the user-specific usage data at the second server.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 wherein the step of streaming the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server includes sending the user-specific usage data to the first server in real-time as the records are generated.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
43 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 wherein the step of streaming the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server includes storing the user-specific usage data at the proxy and sending the user-specific usage data to the first server in batches.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
57 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 further comprising the steps of: causing the proxy to open a connection to a first server on the network; downloading the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server; and wherein the step of storing the user-specific usage data includes storing the user-specific usage data at the first server.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
58 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 35 further comprising the steps of: causing the proxy to open a second connection to a second server on the network; downloading the user-specific usage data over the connection to the second server; and wherein the step of storing the user-specific usage data includes storing the user-specific usage data at the second server.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
43 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 35 wherein the step of downloading the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server includes causing the first server to retrieve in real-time from the proxy the user-specific usage data as the records are generated.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
44 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 35 wherein the step of downloading the user-specific usage data over the connection to the first server includes storing the user-specific usage data at the proxy and causing the first server to retrieve the user-specific usage data in batches.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
120 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 further comprising the steps of: using a second proxy, through which a second set of one or more users send messages to addresses associated with the plurality of other servers on the network, to continuously generate records that indicate the addresses to which each user in the second set of the one or more users sends messages; generating a second set of user-specific usage data based on the records; causing the second proxy to open a second connection to a first server on the network; streaming the second set of user-specific usage data over the second connection to the first server; and storing the second set of user-specific usage data at the first server.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
46 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein the step of streaming the second set of user-specific usage data over the second connection to the first server includes sending the second set of user-specific usage data to the first server in real-time as the records are generated.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
54 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein the step of streaming the second set of user-specific usage data over the second connection to the first server includes storing the second set of user-specific usage data at the second proxy and sending the second set of user-specific usage data to the first server in batches.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 39 further comprising the step of downloading the second set of user-specific usage data over the second connection to the first server.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 42 wherein the step of downloading includes causing the first server to retrieve in real-time from the second proxy the second set of user-specific usage data as the records are generated.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
40 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 42 wherein the step of downloading includes storing the second set of user-specific usage data at the second proxy and causing the first server to retrieve the second set of user-specific usage data in batches.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
65 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 wherein: the proxy maintains a cache of previously-requested electronic information; and when a message that is addressed to one of the other servers on the network requests any previously-requested electronic information stored in the cache, the proxy delivers the previously-requested electronic information to the user from the cache without forwarding the message to the one of the other servers.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 45 wherein electronic information comprises documents, files, data, and application components.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
41 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 further comprising the steps of: associating each user of the one or more users with a unique user_id; and associating the user-specific usage data generated for each user with the unique user_id of the user.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
82 words
The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 47 , wherein the step of associating each user with a unique user_id comprises the steps of: inserting references to a marker item into electronic information requested by the one or more users; in response to a decoding operation performed on the references, receiving requests from the one or more users for the marker item; and in response to requests for the marker item, assigning user_ids to users that have not already been assigned user_ids.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 48 , further comprises sending to each user a test identifier when that user did not offer a proxy user_id identifier along with that user's request for the electronic information.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 49 wherein electronic information comprises documents, files, data, and application components.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
73 words
The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 48 , wherein the step of assigning user_ids to users that have not already been assigned user_ids comprises: if the request for the marker item does not include any identifier, then sending to the user that issued the request a test identifier; if the request for the marker item includes the test identifier, then sending to the user that issued the request a proxy user_id identifier.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
59 words
The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 48 , further comprises: sending to each user a proxy user_id identifier, wherein the proxy user_id identifier contains the unique user_id for that user, when that user offers a test identifier along with a request for the marker item; and redirecting that user to a profiler to receive a profiler user_id identifier.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
44 words
The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 31 wherein: the messages include requests for electronic information; the user-specific usage data includes uniform resource locators of the electronic information requested by each user, and a time stamp indicating when each user requested the electronic information.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
44 words
The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 31 wherein: the messages include requests for Net pages; the user-specific usage data includes uniform resource locators of the net pages requested by each user, and a time stamp indicating when each user requested the net pages.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
64 words
The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 31 , further comprises generating a record that indicates that a user requested particular electronic information in response to that user offering a proxy user_id identifier along with a request for a marker item, wherein the request for the marker item was issued in response to a reference to the marker item in the particular electronic information.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 55 wherein electronic information comprises documents, files, data, and application components.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 31 , further comprising customizing contents of electronic information delivered to a particular user based on the user-specific usage data generated for that user.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 57 , wherein the step of customizing contents of electronic information delivered to a particular user comprises sending to the particular user an advertisement targeted at the particular user.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 58 wherein electronic information comprises documents, files, data, and application components.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 31 , further comprises using the user-specific usage data generated for the one or more users to identify Net sites that represent complementary products and services.
Claim 63
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of identifying which electronic information is being requested by each user of a plurality of users that are requesting electronic information through a proxy, the method comprising the steps of: inserting a reference to a marker item into electronic information delivered to a user of the plurality of users; receiving a request for the marker item in response to the user receiving the reference; if the request is accompanied by a proxy user_id, then storing data to indicate that the user requested the electronic information; if the request is not accompanied by the proxy user_id, then responding to the request by sending an identifier to the user.
Claim 64
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of identifying which electronic information is being requested by each user of a plurality of users that are requesting electronic information through a proxy, the method comprising the steps of: inserting a reference to a marker item into electronic information delivered to a user of the plurality of users; receiving a request for the marker item in response to the user receiving the reference; if the request is accompanied by a proxy user_id, then storing data to indicate that the user requested the electronic information; if the request is not accompanied by the proxy user_id, then responding to the request by sending an identifier to the user.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 61 wherein electronic information comprises documents, files, data, and application components.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 61 wherein: the step of sending the identifier includes sending a test identifier; the method further includes the steps of: determining whether the request is accompanied by the test identifier; and if the request is accompanied by the test identifier, then sending a proxy identifier that includes the proxy user_id to the user.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
188 words
A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for establishing an association between a first set of user_ids assigned by a first server and a second set of user_ids assigned by a second server, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of: receiving a first request from a user for an item at the first server; responding to the first request by performing the steps of sending a first identifier that contains a first user_id to the user; and sending a redirect command to cause the user to send a second request to the second server, wherein the redirect command includes the first user_id; receiving the second request from the user at the second server; responding to the second request by performing the steps of reading the first user_id from the second request; storing data that establishes the association between the first user_id and a second user_id; and sending a second identifier that contains the second user_id to the user.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
188 words
A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for establishing an association between a first set of user_ids assigned by a first server and a second set of user_ids assigned by a second server, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of: receiving a first request from a user for an item at the first server; responding to the first request by performing the steps of sending a first identifier that contains a first user_id to the user; and sending a redirect command to cause the user to send a second request to the second server, wherein the redirect command includes the first user_id; receiving the second request from the user at the second server; responding to the second request by performing the steps of reading the first user_id from the second request; storing data that establishes the association between the first user_id and a second user_id; and sending a second identifier that contains the second user_id to the user.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
41 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 64 further comprising the step of causing the user to request the item by placing a reference to the item in electronic information requested by the user prior to delivering the electronic information to the user.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 65 , wherein electronic information comprises documents, files, data, and application components.
Claim 71
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for establishing an association between a first set of user_ids assigned by a first server and a second set of user_ids assigned by a second server, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a first request from a user for an item at the first server; responding to the first request by performing the steps of sending a first identifier that contains a first user_id to the user; and sending a redirect command to cause the user to send a second request to the second server, wherein the redirect command includes the first user_id; receiving the second request from the user at the second server; responding to the second request by performing the steps of reading the first user_id from the second request; storing data that establishes the association between the first user_id and a second user_id; and sending a second identifier that contains the second user_id to the user.
Claim 72
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for establishing an association between a first set of user_ids assigned by a first server and a second set of user_ids assigned by a second server, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a first request from a user for an item at the first server; responding to the first request by performing the steps of sending a first identifier that contains a first user_id to the user; and sending a redirect command to cause the user to send a second request to the second server, wherein the redirect command includes the first user_id; receiving the second request from the user at the second server; responding to the second request by performing the steps of reading the first user_id from the second request; storing data that establishes the association between the first user_id and a second user_id; and sending a second identifier that contains the second user_id to the user.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 67 further comprising the step of causing the user to request the item by placing a reference to the item in electronic information requested by the user prior to delivering the electronic information to the user.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 68 wherein electronic information comprises documents, files, data, and application components.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
145 words
A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for identifying which electronic information is being requested by each user of a plurality of users that are requesting electronic information through a proxy, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of: inserting a reference to a marker item into electronic information delivered to a user of the plurality of users; receiving a request for the marker item in response to the user receiving the reference; if the request is accompanied by a proxy user_id, then storing data to indicate that the user requested the electronic information; if the request is not accompanied by the proxy user_id, then responding to the request by sending an identifier to the user.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
145 words
A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for identifying which electronic information is being requested by each user of a plurality of users that are requesting electronic information through a proxy, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of: inserting a reference to a marker item into electronic information delivered to a user of the plurality of users; receiving a request for the marker item in response to the user receiving the reference; if the request is accompanied by a proxy user_id, then storing data to indicate that the user requested the electronic information; if the request is not accompanied by the proxy user_id, then responding to the request by sending an identifier to the user.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 70 wherein electronic information comprises documents, files, data, and application components.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
58 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 70 wherein: the step of sending the identifier includes sending a test identifier; the method further includes the steps of: determining whether the request is accompanied by the test identifier; and if the request is accompanied by the test identifier, then sending a proxy identifier that includes the proxy user_id to the user.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-01-30 | 2009-08-01 | 2010-01-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-01-30 | 2013-08-01 | 2014-01-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-01-30 | 2017-08-01 | 2018-01-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |