Web Analytics via Focal Region Mapping for Ajax Interaction Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional web analytics methods, designed for Web 1.0 environments, are inadequate for Web 2.0 environments due to the use of Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (Ajax) technology, which prevents accurate data collection and analysis of user interactions that do not involve page jumps, leading to challenges in data collection, visualization, and filtering.
Innovation Solution
A method that collects and analyzes user access data based on page elements rather than pages, using a defined webpage focal region, which can be predefined or dynamically generated, allowing for the mapping of page elements to specific regions within a website for comprehensive data analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional web analytics methods based on page jumps are used, then data collection is simple in Web 1.0 environment, but data collection becomes inaccurate and incomplete in Web 2.0 environment with Ajax technology
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the webpage into multiple focal regions (e.g., header, navigation, content area, sidebar, footer) and tracks user interactions with each region separately. This segmentation allows accurate capture of user behavior within specific areas without requiring complete page reloads, thus improving measurement precision while managing complexity through structured regional division.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension by defining focal regions on the webpage and tracking interactions within these regions. Instead of only tracking page-level transitions, the system adds regional-level tracking within pages, creating a multi-dimensional view of user behavior that captures Ajax-based interactions without page jumps.
2Loss of information
If web analytics track every page element interaction, then user behavior data becomes comprehensive, but data processing and analysis complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and focuses only on interactions within predefined focal regions, filtering out irrelevant page elements. By taking out only the meaningful interactions within these regions, the system maintains comprehensive user behavior data while reducing processing complexity through selective tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different tracking qualities to different regions of the webpage. Each focal region can be configured with specific tracking parameters and analysis rules tailored to its purpose, allowing detailed analysis where needed while simplifying tracking in less critical areas, thus balancing information completeness with processing complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional page-based analytics are used, then analysis is straightforward per page, but cannot provide meaningful statistics on similar page elements across multiple pages in Web 2.0
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal focal region framework that can be applied across multiple pages and web applications. The same focal region definitions (e.g., navigation area, content area) can be reused across different pages, allowing consistent tracking and analysis of similar elements throughout the website, thereby improving adaptability to Web 2.0 environments.
4Measurement precision
If detailed user interaction data is collected within focal regions, then user behavior insights become more detailed, but data visualization and filtering challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the webpage into focal regions, the patent organizes detailed interaction data into structured, region-based categories. This segmentation makes it easier to visualize and filter data by region type (e.g., navigation clicks vs. content views), reducing the complexity of data presentation while maintaining detailed behavioral insights.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system and computer program product for web access analytics. Date related to the users' access to page elements is received. The page elements accessed by the users which are capable of being mapped to a defined webpage focal region are determined. The users' access to the webpage focal region is analyzed based on the determined page elements capable of being mapped to the webpage focal region.