Method and system for recording search trails across one or more search engines in a communications network

Abstract

An automated method for recording sites accessed by a client in a communications network, the method including the steps of: detecting submission of a search query ( 10 ) from the client to one or more search engines; and recording a search trail ( 11 ) of one or more parameters of sites accessed consecutively following return of search query results to the client.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automated method for recording sites accessed by a client in a communications network, the method including the steps of:
 detecting submission of a search query from the client to one or more search engines; and   recording a search trail of one or more parameters of sites accessed consecutively following return of search query results to the client.   
     
     
         2 . An automated method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of detecting submission of the search query includes:
 detecting submission of a completed form object from the client;   determining if part of the form object matches a known search command format of any of the plurality of search engines.   
     
     
         3 . An automated method according to  claim 2 , wherein the search command format includes the network address of a search engine program for executing the search query. 
     
     
         4 . An automated method according to  claim 3 , wherein the search command format further includes one or more search parameters identifying a user-entered search query. 
     
     
         5 . An automated method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of detecting submission of a completed form object by the client includes:
 locating form objects in an object model of content served to a client; and   adding a routine to each form object to enable interception of the completed form object upon submission.   
     
     
         6 . An automated method according to  claim 5 , wherein the step of locating all form objects in a document object model of content served to a client is carried out after the content has been served to the client. 
     
     
         7 . An automated method according to  claim 6 , wherein the content is an HTML document, and all form objects in a document object model of the HTML document are located once a DocumentComplete event occurs. 
     
     
         8 . An automated method according to  claim 7 , wherein the HTML document includes a GET or a POST form. 
     
     
         9 . An automated method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of recording one or more parameters of the sites accessed consecutively from the search query results is optionally selectable at the client once a search query is detected. 
     
     
         10 . A system for recording sites accessed by a client in a communications network, the system including:
 a search query detector for detecting submission of a search query from the client to one of a plurality of search engines; and   a search trail recorder for recording a search trail of one or more parameters of sites accessed consecutively following return of search query results to the client.