Method and apparatus for internet traffic monitoring by third parties using monitoring implements transmitted via piggybacking HTTP transactions

A network service provider having an internet traffic monitoring system, comprising:

• computer means for analyzing an HTTP transaction involving an internet user client and web content from the internet, wherein the internet user client has a connection to the internet through a network service provider;
• computer means for responding to the HTTP transaction by forwarding, to the internet user client, a modified web object including at least a first monitoring implement associated with a first advertisement selection service for causing the internet user client to forward at least one user parameter to the first advertisement selection service and including at least a second monitoring implement associated with a second advertisement selection service for causing the internet user client to forward at least one user parameter to the second advertisement selection service;
• and computer means for forwarding an embedded web object, originally associated with the HTTP transaction, to the internet user client after forwarding the modified embedded web object;
• wherein the first advertisement selection service selects targeted advertising web content for presentation to the internet user client based on the at least one user parameter forwarded based on the first monitoring implement included in the modified web object forwarded by the network service provider, and based on at least one user parameter from a monitoring implement included in a modified web object forwarded by another network service provider in response to a separate HTTP transaction.

A computer program product, comprising:

• non-transitory computer readable medium including:
• code for causing a computer to analyze an HTTP transaction involving an internet user client and web content from the internet, wherein the internet user client has a connection to the internet through a network service provider;
• code for causing a computer to respond to the HTTP transaction by forwarding, to the internet user client, a modified web object including at least a first monitoring implement associated with a first advertisement selection service for causing the internet user client to forward at least one user parameter to the first advertisement selection service and including at least a second monitoring implement associated with a second advertisement selection service for causing the internet user client to forward at least one user parameter to the second advertisement selection service;
• and code for causing a computer to forward an embedded web object, originally associated with the HTTP transaction, to the internet user client after forwarding the modified web object;
• wherein the first advertisement selection service selects targeted advertising web content for presentation to the internet user client based on the at least one user parameter forwarded based on the first monitoring implement included in the modified web object forwarded by the network service provider, and based on at least one user parameter from a monitoring implement included in a modified web object forwarded by another network service provider in response to a separate HTTP transaction.

An internet traffic monitoring method, comprising:

• a network service provider analyzing an embedded web object request from an internet user client directed to the internet, wherein the internet user client has a connection to the internet through the network service provider;
• the network service provider intercepting a requested embedded web object associated with the analyzed request, and customizing the requested embedded web object, wherein the customized web object includes the requested embedded web object which has been modified by the network service provider to include at least a first monitoring implement associated with a first advertisement selection service and to include at least a second monitoring implement associated with a second advertisement selection service;
• and
• the network service provider forwarding the customized web object to the internet user client for causing the internet user client to forward at least one user parameter to the first advertisement selection service based on the first monitoring implement and for causing the internet user client to forward at least one user parameter to the second advertisement selection service based on the second monitoring implement;
• wherein the first advertisement selection service selects targeted advertising content for presentation to the internet user client based on the at least one user parameter forwarded based on the first monitoring implement, and based on at least one user parameter from a monitoring implement included in a customized web object forwarded by another network service provider in response to a separate embedded web object request.

A network service provider having an internet traffic monitoring system, comprising:

• computer means for analyzing an embedded web object request from an internet user client directed to the internet, wherein the internet user client has a connection to the internet through a network service provider;
• computer means for intercepting a requested embedded web object associated with the analyzed request, and customizing the requested embedded web object, wherein the customized web object includes the requested embedded web object which has been modified by the network service provider to include at least a first monitoring implement associated with a first advertisement selection service and to include at least a second monitoring implement associated with a second advertisement selection service;
• and
• computer means for forwarding the customized web object to the internet user client for causing the internet user client to forward at least one user parameter to the first advertisement selection service based on the first monitoring implement and for causing the internet user client to forward at least one user parameter to the second advertisement selection service based on the second monitoring implement;
• wherein the first advertisement selection service selects targeted advertising content for presentation to the internet user client based on the at least one user parameter forwarded based on the first monitoring implement, and based on at least one user parameter from a monitoring implement included in a customized web object forwarded by another network service provider in response to a separate embedded web object request.

A computer program product, comprising:

• non-transitory computer readable medium including:
• code for causing a computer to analyze an embedded web object request from an internet user client directed to the internet, wherein the internet user client has a connection to the internet through a network service provider;
• code for causing a computer to intercept a requested embedded web object associated with the analyzed request, and to customize the requested embedded web object, wherein the customized web object includes the requested embedded web object which has been modified by the network service provider to include at least a first monitoring implement associated with a first advertisement selection service and to include at least a second monitoring implement associated with a second advertisement selection service;
• and
• code for causing a computer to forward the customized web object to the internet user client for causing the internet user client to forward at least one user parameter to the first advertisement selection service based on the first monitoring implement and for causing the internet user client to forward at least one user parameter to the second advertisement selection service based on the second monitoring implement;
• wherein the first advertisement selection service selects targeted advertising content for presentation to the internet user client based on the at least one user parameter forwarded based on the first monitoring implement, and based on at least one user parameter from a monitoring implement included in a customized web object forwarded by another network service provider in response to a separate embedded web object request.