Unobtrusive methods and systems for collecting information transmitted over a network

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to unobtrusive methods and systems for collecting information transmitted over a network utilizing a data collection system residing between an originator system and a responding system. In one embodiment the Originator System can be a web browser and the Responding System can be a web server. In another embodiment the Originator System can be a local computer and the Responding System can be another computer on the network. Both these and other configurations are considered to be within the domain of this invention. The Data Collection System acts in a hybrid peer-to-peer/client-server manner in responding to the Originating System as a Responding System while acting as an Originating System to the Responding System. This configuration enables real-time acquisition and storage of network traffic information in a completely unobtrusive manner without requiring any server- or client-side code.

1 . A system for obtaining and storing information transmitted over a network, wherein such system comprises:
 a. A first network location connected to the network that is capable of transmitting information to a second network location on the network;   b. An intermediary network location that is logically situated between the first and second network location, said intermediary location being capable of:   i. Receiving a transmission from the first network location;   ii. Sending a transmission to the second network location where said transmission is based on the content of the transmission received from the first network location;   iii. Receiving a transmission from the second network location;   iv. Sending a transmission to the first network location based on the content of the transmission received from the second network location;   c. wherein the intermediary network location is capable of storing the transmissions received from both the first and second network locations into a logical memory location.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the intermediary network location acts on behalf of the first network location when sending transmissions to the second network location. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the intermediary network location acts on behalf of the second network location when sending transmissions to the first network location. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the logical memory location is a global queue. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the information in the memory location is persisted to a more permanent storage medium. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein said storage medium is selected from one of either a file on a file system or a record in a database. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said transmissions includes a non-visible component and where a tracking value is placed in said non-visible component in order to track a series of transmissions. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the transmission from the intermediate network location to the first network location includes active content and where at least some portion of the active content is modified to direct subsequent responses back to the intermediate network location. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  where the active content is one or more hyperlinks. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8  where the active content is an embedded component. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9  where the embedded component is one of Flash, or ActiveX or Java Applets. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9  where the embedded component is a client-side script. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  where the client-side script is selected from VBScript or JavaScript. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8  which additionally comprises a list of network locations that can be monitored by the intermediary network location. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein transmissions received from the first network location can be optionally compared to said list of network locations to be monitored whereby;
 a. If the target second network location identified by the transmission from the first network location is not in the list of network locations then the transmission from the first network location is forwarded directly to the second network location without the intermediary network location taking an action selected from one of modification, tracking or storage of the transmission by the intermediate network location. 
 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 8  wherein transmissions are directed from the first network location to the intermediate network location through a distinct URI value. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the URI value contains a unique value enabling the intermediate network location to determine the second network location. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the unique value is placed in the URI in the form of a name-value pair. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1  wherein transmissions are directed from the first network location to the intermediate network location utilizing DNS entries. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1  wherein unique information from the first network location is used to determine the second network location wherein transmissions from the first network location are automatically sent to the intermediate network location.