Unified collection and distribution of data

Abstract

A stub tag in source code of a webpage allows for collection of numerous data elements according to tracking tags of various data receiver parties and for distribution of the collected data elements to those parties. The stub tag references a remotely cached script that enables a user device, e.g. a computer running a web browser, to retrieve a tag code for collecting the data elements. The tag code is constructed according to data collection settings, data distribution settings, data receiver settings, and/or user privacy settings. The tag code results in a single variable, common to all data receiver parties, for each data element. The common variable is transmitted to data receivers through the user device or through a server-to-server API.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A network communication method comprising:
 creating a data collection setting for a website;   creating a data distribution setting for the website; and   inserting a stub tag into effective source code of a webpage of the website.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the creating of the data collection setting includes specifying a set of data elements that can be collected from the webpage of the website, and each data element is defined by a data binding expression that relates how the data element is derived from the webpage. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the creating of the data distribution setting includes specifying, for each data element that can be collected from the webpage of the website, a data receiver definition that associates the data element with a format which the data receiver expects to receive the data element. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the stub tag enables a user device to obtain a tag code that is dynamically constructed in response to a network request initiated by the stub tag, the obtained code enables the user device to collect data elements assigned to the webpage. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , the obtained tag code enables the user device to distribute the collected data elements to a data receiver network server separate and distinct from servers hosting the website. 
     
     
         33 . A network communication method comprising:
 processing effective source code of a webpage of a website, the effective source code including a stub tag;   sending a stub tag request to a tracking server, the stub tag request performed according to the stub tag; and   obtaining a response to the stub tag request, the obtained response including at least one of a collector tag, a browser-direct data distribution tag, and a user ID synchronization tag.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the processing of the stub tag is performed by a user device, and the stub tag includes a reference to script cached in a device separate and distinct from both the user device and servers hosting the website. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the sending of the request includes making a first call to the tracking server and a second call to the tracking server; the obtaining of the response includes obtaining script referenced in the stub tag and obtaining the at least one of the collector tag, the browser-direct data distribution tag, and the user ID synchronization tag as a reply to the second call; and the second call is performed according to the obtained script. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the response includes a code for collecting data elements, and the method further comprises collecting data elements according to the code for collecting data elements. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the code for collecting data elements is part of a browser-direct data distribution tag, and the method further comprises sending the collected data elements directly to a data receiver network server according to the browser-direct data distribution tag. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the code for collecting data elements is part of a collector tag, and the method further comprises sending the collected data elements to the tracking server according to the collector tag. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising creating a privacy setting, wherein the obtained response is based at least on the privacy setting.