Collection of images in web use reporting system
AssigneeNielsen Media Research, Inc.
InventorTREVOR BLUMENAU
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A checksum is extracted from an image downloaded to a content recipient. The content recipient transmits the extracted checksum to a data collection site. The data collection site compares the received checksum to a reference checksum. If the received checksum and the reference checksum match, the data collection site uses an image corresponding to the reference checksum as the downloaded image. If the received checksum and the reference checksum do not match, the data collection site retrieves the downloaded image from the content recipient.
Claims43
A data collection server arranged to collect Web use data from a panel of content recipients, wherein the Web use data is of the type that provides a statistical basis for extrapolating the Web use data over at least a relevant population segment, wherein the Web use data includes information about use of an image downloaded from a Web site to a member of the panel, and wherein the data collection server is arranged to retrieve the image from the member of the panel.
A method of metering Web use comprising the following steps:
- a) retrieving, from a content recipient, information identifying an image downloaded from a Web site to the content recipient;
- and,
- b) retrieving the image based upon the identifying information.
A method performed at a content recipient comprising the following steps:
- a) receiving an image from a Web site;
- b) extracting a checksum from the image;
- c) transmitting the checksum to a data collection site;
- and,
- d) transmitting the image to the data collection site in response to a message from the data collection site indicating that the content recipient should transmit the image.
A method performed at a data collection site comprising the following steps:
- a) receiving a checksum from a content recipient, wherein the checksum is related to an image transmitted to the content recipient;
- b) comparing a reference checksum to the received checksum;
- c) if the received and reference checksums do not match, transmitting to the content recipient a message from the data collection site indicating that the content recipient should transmit the image;
- and,
- d) receiving the image from the content recipient in response to step c).
A method performed at a data collection site comprising the following steps:
- a) receiving a first checksum and a URL from a content recipient, wherein the first checksum and the URL are related to a first image transmitted to the content recipient;
- b) retrieving a second image from a Web site based upon the URL;
- c) computing a second checksum corresponding to the second image;
- d) saving the second image in connection with the content recipient if the first and second checksums match;
- e) if the first and second checksums do not match, transmitting to the content recipient a message from the data collection site indicating that the content recipient should transmit the first image;
- and,
- f) receiving the first image from the content recipient in response to step e).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.