Patent ID: 6393479
Filing Date: 2002-05-21
Classification: G06F,G06Q

Abstract:
A method of processing a computer file request to retrieve a network data file comprising a website page, the method comprising:receiving a request from a network browser for a page at a website, the page having at least one graphical element having an image source attribute that specifies a website traffic path analysis data location; detecting if the website page request includes a website cookie having website traffic path analysis data from the network browser for the current website; producing a website cookie in response to detecting the absence of a website cookie, wherein the website cookie contains an initial set of traffic path analysis data for the current website; determining if the cookie for the current website has expired, if a website cookie for the current website was detected; setting the traffic path analysis data of the website cookie to initial values if the website cookie has expired, and otherwise updating traffic path analysis data for a current website visit by the network browser by adding the current requested website page to the traffic path analysis data and thereby showing the complete path of website pages requested during the current website visit, and providing the network browser with image source data for the graphical element of the requested page and also with the website cookie containing the website traffic path analysis data.