Web Log Session Rebuilder for Detached Records
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inefficient tracking of customer web browsing activity leads to knowledge gaps due to detached session records in web logs, where visitor identification information is not recorded until after the first request, resulting in self-referred sessions and lost referral data.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented system and method that uses a session rebuilder to reattach detached session records by comparing web log data characteristics, such as user agent and IP address, to associate records and restore lost referral information, enabling more accurate analysis of user browsing activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If visitor identification information is recorded only after the first request, then the tracking system is simpler to implement, but session records become detached and referral information is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by capturing and storing the referrer URL in the web log record before the visitor identification information becomes available. This allows the detached session record to be later reassociated with the correct session by matching the referrer URL with subsequent records that contain visitor identification, thereby preventing information loss while maintaining implementation simplicity.
2Quantity of substance
If all web log records are captured and stored, then complete browsing activity data is available, but the data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the web log records into two categories: records with visitor identification information and records without visitor identification information (detached records). By separating these records, the system can process them differently - using efficient grouping for identified records and targeted matching for detached records based on referrer URL, thereby reducing overall processing complexity while maintaining data completeness.
3Measurement precision
If detached session records are reassociated by comparing web log data characteristics, then browsing activity analysis accuracy improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and isolates the referrer URL characteristic from web log records for specialized processing. By extracting this key identifying feature, the system can efficiently match detached records with their parent sessions using a focused comparison approach rather than analyzing all record characteristics, thereby improving matching accuracy while minimizing additional processing time.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented system and method for analyzing user browsing activity. Records from a web log that were generated during web browsing sessions are accessed. The web log includes at least one record that is detached from other records generated during the same browsing session as the one record. A web log data characteristic of the detached session record is compared with a web log data characteristic of other records in the web log. Based upon the comparison, the detached session record is associated with at least another record from the web log. The association between the detached session record and the another record is used to analyze user browsing activity.