Server-Side Sessionization for Analytics Data Propagation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing web site analytics systems face challenges in accurately reporting data due to varying client support for local storage and cookies, leading to inconsistent state information across different clients and increased network bandwidth utilization, especially when changes are made to web page configurations or caching occurs.

Innovation Solution

A machine-implemented method and system for propagating state changing information from initial analytics tracking data communications to subsequent communications at an analytics server, minimizing reliance on client-side cookies by performing sessionization on the server side, which reduces network bandwidth usage and errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If client-side cookies are used to persist state information, then state information can be maintained across requests, but certain clients do not provide support for local storage and cookies increase network bandwidth utilization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestate information persistenceVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional client-side sessionization approach by implementing server-side sessionization. Instead of relying on clients to store and manage cookies for state information, the server generates and maintains session identifiers and state information centrally. This inversion eliminates the need for clients to support local storage while reducing network bandwidth usage since state information is not repeatedly transmitted with each request.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The server performs sessionization autonomously without requiring client-side participation. The server generates session identifiers, tracks user interactions, and maintains state information independently, freeing clients from the burden of managing cookies and local storage while ensuring consistent state management across all clients regardless of their storage capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If cookies are transmitted with each request to track sessions, then session information can be maintained, but network bandwidth utilization increases across the system

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesession tracking accuracyVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts session management functionality from the client-side request process and consolidates it on the server-side. By generating and maintaining session identifiers centrally on the server, the system eliminates the need to transmit cookie data with each request, thereby maintaining accurate session tracking while significantly reducing network bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If different page configurations are used on respective pages, then page-specific functionality can be implemented, but maintaining consistent business logic across pages becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepage configuration flexibilityVSAvoidbusiness logic consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal server-side sessionization framework that handles diverse page configurations through a single centralized mechanism. The server generates and manages session identifiers that work consistently across all pages regardless of their specific configurations, providing a universal solution that maintains business logic consistency while allowing pages to have different functionalities and configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Speed

If caching is implemented on the publisher's web site, then page load performance improves, but inconsistent data can be reported to the web analytics system

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepage load performanceVSAvoidanalytics data consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces server-side sessionization as an intermediary layer between the cached web pages and the analytics system. This intermediary maintains accurate session state information on the server, ensuring that analytics data remains consistent and accurate even when pages are served from cache, because the session management is decoupled from the page delivery mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9946746B2Persist and process analytics data dimensions for server-side sessionization

Publication Date: 2018.04.17 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

The subject technology provides configurations for propagating information from an initial analytics tracking data communication to subsequent analytics tracking data communications at an analytics server. In one example, the subject technology receives an analytics tracking data communication. The subject technology determines if the received analytics tracking data communication includes state changing information based on analytics tracking data included in the analytics tracking data communication. The subject technology then determines one or more attributes for propagating to subsequent analytics tracking data if the analytics tracking data communication includes state changing information. The state changing information are stored as one or more of the determined one or more attributes. The subject technology stores the analytics tracking data including the determined one or more attributes.