Web Traffic Measurement via Server-Side Session Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring web traffic and user activity on web pages, such as web server log-file analysis and page tagging, are inefficient and raise privacy concerns due to the use of cookies, which are often rejected by modern browsers, making it difficult to accurately track user behavior without intrusive methods.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a measurement service and a portal element embedded on a landing page to detect user interactions and transmit session data for analysis without requiring cookies or additional code on each web page, allowing for imperceptible monitoring of web traffic and user activity across multiple web pages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If web server log-file analysis is used to measure web traffic, then traffic data can be collected, but the efficiency decreases as the number of web servers increases and each server has its own log file
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple log files from different web servers into a single centralized log file stored on a file server. This consolidation allows the measurement service to analyze all web traffic data from multiple servers simultaneously, resolving the efficiency problem that arose when each server maintained separate log files.
2Measurement precision
If HTTP cookies are used to track user visits and page views, then user behavior can be monitored, but privacy concerns arise and browsers often reject cookies making tracking inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tracking functionality from browser-based cookies and relocates it to server-based session identification. The measurement service identifies users through session IDs generated by the web server, eliminating dependency on client-side cookies that are rejected by browsers for privacy reasons.
3Measurement precision
If page tagging with embedded objects is used to monitor web page activity, then user interactions can be tracked, but the complexity of deploying code on each web page increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for embedding tracking code in each individual web page. Instead, a single measurement service is deployed that intercepts and analyzes HTTP requests and server log files, extracting user interaction data without requiring modifications to each web page's code.
4Measurement precision
If cookies are used for user identification, then user sessions can be tracked, but the system becomes vulnerable to network attacks and inaccurate identification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts user identification from client-side cookies to server-side session management. The web server generates session IDs and maintains user identification centrally, eliminating the security vulnerabilities associated with client-side cookie storage and transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A system is presented for measuring, analyzing and/or reporting web traffic, predetermined events, and/or user activity on one or more web pages utilizing a landing page having code embedded thereon, wherein the program code is structured to deploy at least one portal element onto the landing page. Further, the portal element is structured to display at least one web page therein, while remaining substantially imperceptible at a client interface. Additionally, the program code is structured to detect a source of the web visit, and other predetermined events, including mouse clicks and other navigation activity.