Sticky Dynamic IP Address for Accurate Visitor Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional website tracking methods using cookies are ineffective in accurately counting unique users due to issues like anonymous browsing, cookie clearing, and third-party cookie blocking, leading to skewed visitor numbers when users access websites from different devices or browsers.
Innovation Solution
The use of sticky dynamic IP addresses to cluster cookie IDs and user agents, determining a primary sticky dynamic IP address through density measurements and relationship tables, allowing for more accurate tracking of website activity by associating multiple instances with a consistent IP address.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cookies are used to track user activity, then user activity can be stored for later usage, but the tracking becomes ineffective when users visit from different devices or browsers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces IP address as an intermediary identifier to bridge the gap between device-based cookie tracking and user-level tracking. By using IP address as a mediator, the system can identify users across different devices and browsers while maintaining the benefits of cookie-based tracking for individual sessions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the tracking system universal by enabling it to function effectively both within a single device (using cookies) and across multiple devices (using IP addresses). This multi-functionality allows the same tracking system to adapt to different browsing scenarios without requiring separate tracking mechanisms.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If cookies are cleared or third-party cookies are blocked, then user privacy is improved, but website tracking accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses IP address as an intermediary that remains reliable even when cookies are cleared or blocked. Since IP addresses are not affected by cookie clearing or third-party cookie blocking, they provide a stable basis for tracking user identity and maintaining measurement accuracy while respecting user privacy choices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the tracking parameter from cookie-based identification to IP address-based identification. This parameter change allows the system to maintain tracking capability under different privacy conditions, as IP addresses are not subject to the same clearing or blocking mechanisms that affect cookies.
3Quantity of substance
If unique cookies are used to count visitors, then individual user sessions are tracked, but the visitor count becomes skewed when users access from multiple devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the tracking approaches by combining cookie-based session tracking with IP address-based user identification. This merging allows the system to accurately count unique visitors while still maintaining the ability to track individual user sessions and activity patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces IP address as an intermediary that provides a stable identifier for counting unique visitors across multiple devices. This intermediary resolves the skewing problem by providing a consistent basis for identification that is not affected by device-specific cookie behavior.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure is directed to, among other things, systems and methods for associating website visitors with a sticky dynamic internet protocol (IP) address. An example method may include identifying one or more first web-based cookies associated with a first IP address or one or more first user agents associated with the first IP address as being received by a web server associated with a website. The example method may also include determining a density measurement for the first IP address, the density measurement being a maximum number of the one or more first web-based cookies or the one or more first user agents that are identified as being received at the web server at a single time. The example method may also include determining that the density measurement is less than or equal to a threshold value. The example method may also include determining, based on the density measurement being less than or equal to the threshold value, that the first IP address is a first sticky dynamic IP address.