Patent Publication Number: US-2009222554-A1

Title: Statistics for online advertising

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate to computing systems, and more particularly, to estimating online display advertisements. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A website is stored on a central computer known as the web server. Users around the world equipped with a web browser can enter the name of the website (URL) and download the pages comprising the site. By clicking HyperLinks within each page on the site the user navigates from page to page. As the user clicks on the links, the web server records information into a file known as a log file. The information written to the log file can include the IP Address of the client (user), the date and time, the type of request, the type of response from server URL requested, cookie information from the user, the type of browser used on the client. 
     Tracking banner advertisements viewed on a client can be difficult. Software programs exist that take the log file produced from the server and generate statistical information. However, this information can be innacurate as it tends to inflate some hits, and dramatically understates others. Thus, a need exists for a technique to accurately track the number of distinct impressions seen for a particular online display advertisement. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system for counting online display advertisements. 
         FIG. 2  is a ladder diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system for counting online display advertisements. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a client. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method for counting online display advertisements. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Described herein is a method and apparatus for collecting online advertisement statistics is described. In one embodiment, a browser of a client requests from a server, a web page having an advertisement banner. The browser receives the web page and a JavaScript program. The browser loads the webpage and the JavaScript program which polls the browser of one or more property of an HTML image object included in the advertisement banner of the web page. The JavaScript program reports out the one or more property of the HTML image object so as to enable to estimate the number of distinct impressions seen for a particular online display advertisement. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system  100  for counting online display advertisements. The system includes a client  102 , a web server  104 , and a statistics collection server  106 . In another embodiment, the web server  104  and the statistics collection server  106  may reside on the same server. 
     Client  102  includes a web browser  108  configured to request from web server  104  a web page that may include an advertisement banner  112 . Web browser  108  receives and loads web page  110  with advertisement banner  112 . In one embodiment, web page  110  includes a JavaScript program  114  configured to poll web browser  108  of one or more property of an HTML image object included in advertisement banner  112  of web page  110 . In one embodiment, JavaScript program  114  explicitly asks for permission from a user of client  102  and/or web browser  108  to access data on client  102 . The user explicitly grants that permission to allow JavaScript program  114  to report out the one or more property of the HTML image object of advertisement banner  112  to statistics collection server  106 . When one of the property of the HMTL is true, it means that the web browser has completely downloaded the associated image of advertisement banner  112 . In one embodiment, the JavaScript program uses an XMLHttpRequest object to report out the one or more property of the HTML image object. 
     In another embodiment, both from a code reusability and a state management point, the JavaScript code can be stored in an external file, and can be referenced by a state-unique name. For example, instead of referencing it as “/js/reporterjs”, it can be referenced with “/js/reporterjs?{state id}”. This state can be propagated through the user&#39;s clickstream by associating that state id with each URL. 
     In another embodiment, a separate JavaScript Image object is created to pass results to statistics collection server  106 . 
     Statistics collection server  106  receives the one or more property of the HTML image object and to compute statistics based on the one or more property of the HTML image object. In another embodiment, to handle the case where JavaScript is not available/turned off, status is reported when the web page is first loaded and when the image object itself is loaded. Then, server log entries can be matched up for page loads without corresponding status reports. Server  106  would then be able to estimate how many ads were loaded without corresponding status reports. 
     In one embodiment, web server  106  hosts web page  110  with banner advertisement  112 . In another embodiment, another server coupled to web server  104  hosts only banner advertisement  112 . In another embodiment, another server coupled to web server  104  schedules banner advertisement  112 . In another embodiment, another server coupled to web server  104  hosts the JavaScript function library being used to report the statistics. 
       FIG. 2  is a ladder diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system for counting online display advertisements. A client  202  communicates with both a web server  204 , and a statistics collection server  206 . A web browser  208  of client  202  requests a web page  210  from web server  204 . Client  202  receives web page  210  with a JavaScript program  212 . In one embodiment, JavaScript program  212  is embedded in web page  210 . 
     Web browser  208  loads web page  210  and runs JavaScript program  212  with user client&#39;s explicit permission. Client  202  then sends out a report to collection statistics server  218 . 
     In one embodiment, JavaScript program  212  is configured to periodically poll web browser  208  of one or more property of an HTML image object associated with an advertisement banner of web page  210 . JavaScript program  212  reports out the one or more property of the HTML image object of advertisement banner  112  to statistics collection server  106 . When one of the property of the HMTL is true, it means that the web browser has completely downloaded the associated image of advertisement banner  112 . In one embodiment, the JavaScript program uses an XMLHttpRequest object to report out the one or more property of the HTML image object. In another embodiment, the report could contain anything available to a JavaScript program: cookie values, document&#39;s lastModified date, browser name, etc. In another embodiment, a separate JavaScript Image object is created to pass results to statistics collection server  106 . 
     In one embodiment, web server  204  hosts web page  210  with banner advertisement. In another embodiment, another server coupled to web server  204  only hosts banner advertisement. In another embodiment, another server coupled to web server  204  schedules the various banner advertisements to be included in web page  210 . In another embodiment, another server coupled to web server  204  hosts the JavaScript function library being used to report the statistics. 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a client  302 . Client  302  includes a web browser  304  and a advertisement banner reporter  306 . Web browser  304  requests from a server, a web page that includes an advertisement banner. Web browser  304  receive and load the web page and runs a JavaScript program to generate advertisement banner reporter  306  with client  302  user&#39;s permission. Advertisement banner reporter  306  periodically polls web browser  306  of one or more property of an HTML image object associated with the advertisement banner of the downloaded web page. Advertisement banner reporter  306  then reports out the one or more property of the HTML image object. 
     In one embodiment, the JavaScript program uses an XMLHttpRequest object to report out the one or more property of the HTML image object. In another embodiment, the JavaScript program is stored in an external file to the web page, the external file referenced with a state identifier. In another embodiment, advertisement banner reporter  306  sends the one or more property of the HTML image object to an other server that is configured to compute statistics based on the one or more property of the HTML image object. In another embodiment, a separate JavaScript Image object is created to pass results to statistics collection server  106 . 
       FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method for counting online display advertisements. At  402 , a web browser of a client sends out a request for a web page from a web server. At  404 , the web browser receives the requested web page along with a JavaScript program. In one embodiment, the JavaScript program is embedded in the downloaded web page. At  406 , the web browser loads the requested web page that includes a banner advertisement. At  408 , the web browser executes the associated JavaScript program, with client user&#39;s permission, to periodically polls the web browser for one or more property of an HTML image object associated with the banner advertisement. When one of the property of the HMTL is true, it means that the web browser has completely downloaded the associated image of advertisement banner  112 . At  410 , client then sends out a report to a statistics collection server. 
     In one embodiment, the JavaScript program uses an XMLHttpRequest object to report out the one or more property of the HTML image object. In another embodiment, the report could contain anything available to a JavaScript program; cookie values, document&#39;s lastModified date, browser name, etc. In another embodiment, a separate JavaScript Image object is created to pass results to statistics collection server. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the exemplary form of a computer system  500  within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, may be executed. In alternative embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines in a LAN, an intranet, an extranet, or the Internet. The machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in client-server network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, a server, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein. 
     The exemplary computer system  500  includes a processing device  502 , a main memory  504  (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), a static memory  506  (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), etc.), and a data storage device  518 , which communicate with each other via a bus  530 . 
     Processing device  502  represents one or more general-purpose processing devices such as a microprocessor, central processing unit, or the like. More particularly, the processing device may be complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or processor implementing other instruction sets, or processors implementing a combination of instruction sets. Processing device  502  may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), network processor, or the like. The processing device  502  is configured to execute the processing logic  526  for performing the operations and steps discussed herein. 
     The computer system  500  may further include a network interface device  508 . The computer system  500  also may include a video display unit  510  (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), an alphanumeric input device  512  (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device  514  (e.g., a mouse), and a signal generation device  516  (e.g., a speaker). 
     The data storage device  518  may include a machine-accessible storage medium  530  on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software  522 ) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The software  522  may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory  504  and/or within the processing device  502  during execution thereof by the computer system  500 , the main memory  504  and the processing device  502  also constituting machine-accessible storage media. The software  522  may further be transmitted or received over a network  520  via the network interface device  508 . 
     The machine-accessible storage medium  530  may also be used to store the banner ad reporter  524  as presently described. The banner ad reporter  524  may also be stored in other sections of computer system  500 , such as static memory  506 . 
     While the machine-accessible storage medium  530  is shown in an exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term “machine-accessible storage medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-accessible storage medium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present invention. The term “machine-accessible storage medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, optical and magnetic media, and carrier wave signals. 
     In the above description, numerous details are set forth. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form, rather than in detail, in order to avoid obscuring the present invention. 
     Some portions of the detailed descriptions above are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. 
     It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” or “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system&#39;s registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices. 
     The present invention also relates to apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus. 
     The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purpose systems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description below. In addition, the present invention is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the invention as described herein. 
     It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.