Patent application EP16166117A (EP), filed 2016-04-20
Publication number: EP3236364A1
Title: WEB TRACKING METHOD AND SYSTEM
Abstract: A method for determining, whether a web browser (20) has accessed a third party web page (22), comprises: providing a first party web page (26) by a first party web server (12), which first party web page (26) comprises or is adapted for loading a timing script element (30); processing the first party web page (26) with a web browser (20), such that the timing script element (30) instructs the web browser (20) to load an embedded element (34), which is embedded into a third party web page (22), into the web browser (20) for a first time and to determine a first loading time (t 1 ) of the embedded element (34), and the timing script element (30) instructs the web browser (20) to load the embedded element (34) into the web browser (20) for a second time and to determine a second loading time (t 2 ) of the embedded element (34); and deciding based on the first loading time (t 1 ) and second loading time (t 2 ), whether the web browser (20) has previously loaded the third party web page (22).
IPC codes: G06F  17/    30            A I
G06Q  30/    02            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: A method for determining, whether a web browser (20) has accessed a third party web page (22), the method comprising:
number: 2
text: The method of claim 1,
wherein the first party web page (26) comprises a loading script element (28);
wherein the loading script element (28) comprises script code for loading the timing script element (30) into the web browser (20) from the first party web server (12) and/or a second party web server (14).
number: 3
text: The method of claim 1 or 2,
wherein the timing script element (30) sends the first loading time (t<1> ) and second loading time (t<2> ) to the first party web server (12) and/or a second party web server (14).
number: 4
text: The method of one of the previous claims,
wherein the embedded element (34) is loaded into the web browser (20) via an URL provided by the first web server (12) and/or a second web server (14);
wherein the timing script element (30) requests an URL for the embedded element (34) from the first party web server (12) or a second party web server (14); or
wherein the URL is encoded into the timing script element (30).
number: 5
text: The method of one of the previous claims,
wherein a plurality of embedded elements (34) are loaded for at least two times into the web browser (20) and two subsequent loading times (t<1> , t<2> ) are determined for each embedded element (34).
number: 6
text: The method of one of the previous claims,
wherein the timing script element (30) instructs the web browser (20) to load the embedded element (34) into the web browser (20) for at least a third time and to determine at least a third loading time (t<3> ) of the embedded element (34);
wherein the decision, that the web browser (20) has previously loaded the third party web page (22) is additionally based on the at least third loading time (t<3> ).
number: 7
text: The method of one of the previous claims, further comprising:
number: 8
text: The method of one of the previous claims,
wherein the threshold (40) is a dynamical threshold determined by the timing script element (30), the first party web server (12) and/or a second party web server (14).
number: 9
text: The method of one of the previous claims,
wherein the web browser (20) is instructed during the first or second time to directly load the embedded element (34) from the third party web server (16); and/or
wherein the web browser (20) is instructed to at least once load the embedded element (34) via an alternative URL containing a random query string.
number: 10
text: The method of one of the previous claims,
wherein the embedded element (34) is an element of the third party web page (22), which is requestable from the third party web server (16) with an URL different from the URL of the third party web page (22); and/or
wherein the embedded element (34) is an image, a cascading style sheet and/or a script element.
number: 11
text: The method of one of the previous claims, further comprising:
number: 12
text: A computer program for determining, whether a web browser (20) has accessed a third party web page (22), which, when being executed by at least one web server (12, 14) and a web browser (20), is adapted to carry out the steps of the method of one of the previous claims.
number: 13
text: A computer-readable medium, in which a computer program according to claim 12 is stored.
number: 14
text: A script element (30) to be loaded and/or to be embedded into a web page (26) of a first party web server (12) and to be executed by a web browser (20), which is processing the web page (26), the script element (30) comprising script code for:
number: 15
text: A tracking system (24), comprising:
Office action: search_report, dated 2017-10-25
Prior art cited: ref_id: WO2015070752A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2011197136A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2008114875A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US8266281B1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2002077836A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2002077836
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2008114875
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2011197136
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US8266281
ref_type: patent
severity: background
Final disposition: pending (2017-10-25)