Patent ID: 7085832

Claim:
A method for providing information that enables a server to record data indicative of the number of times a web page is accessed under deliberate control of a user, said method comprising: accessing the web page by a client, using a web browser, from the server that has transmitted the web page across a communication network to the client, wherein the server comprises two counters whose content is indicative of the number of times the web page has been acccssed while not being automatically refreshed; recording a timestamp indicating an approximate time of accessing the web page by the client; determining a content-update period at which the web page is periodically updated by the server; configuring the browser to refresh the web page automatically according to the content-update period; after said accessing, re-accessing the web page; determining an approximate time of re-accessing the web page; analyzing the timestamp, the approximate time re-accessing the web page, and the content-update period; ascertaining, responsive to an outcome of said analyzing, whether said re-accessing the web page is or is not indicative of an automatic refresh by the web browser; and instructing the server to advance at least one counter of the two counters in a manner that reflects an outcome of said ascertaining, wherein after advancing the at least one counter in said manner the server is adapted to determine from the content of the two counters the number of times the web page has been accessed while not being automatically refreshed, wherein said recording the timestamp, said determining the content-update period, said configuring the browser, said re-accessing the web page, said determining the approximate time of re-accessing the web page, said analyzing, said ascertaining, and said instructing are performed by the client.