# US 8,543,662 B2 · Method and apparatus for redirection of server external hyper-link references

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- Number: US 8,543,662 B2
- Document ID: US8543662B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/340,565
- Filed: 2011-12-29
- Published: 2012-08-02
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 1996-02-21
- Assignees: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Applicants: Steven T. Kirsch; Christopher J. Lindblad
- Inventors: Steven T. Kirsch; Christopher J. Lindblad
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8543662B2

## CPC

- H04L 67/02: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
- G06F 16/955: using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
- G06F 16/9566: {URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links}
- G06Q 10/0833: Tracking
- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G06Q 30/0257: {User requested}
- G06Q 30/0277: {Online advertisement}
- H04L 12/14: Charging, metering or billing arrangements specially adapted for data communications, e.g. authentication, authorisation and accounting [AAA] framework
- H04L 12/1425: {involving dedicated fields in the data packet for billing purposes}
- H04L 12/1471: {splitting of costs}
- H04L 41/0246: Exchanging or transporting network management information using the Internet; Embedding network management web servers in network elements; Web-services-based protocols
- H04L 43/00: Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
- H04L 61/00: Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
- H04L 61/301: Name conversion
- H04L 67/142: Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
- H04L 67/53: using third party service providers
- H04L 67/535: {Tracking the activity of the user (network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34)}
- H04L 61/30: Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames (name-to-address mapping H04L61/45)
- H04L 69/329: in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A message is provided to a tracking server system in response to a client system referencing a predetermined resource locator that corresponds to a resource external to the tracking server system. The tracking server system indirectly provides for the client system to have an informational element selectable by the client system, where the informational element is graphically identified on the client system with informational content obtainable from a content server system through use of a content resource locator. The informational element includes a tracking resource locator, referencing the tracking server system, and data identifying the informational element. The selection of the informational element causes the client system to use the tracking resource locator to provide the data to the tracking server system and to use the content resource locator to obtain the informational content from the content server system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of operating a server, the method comprising:
serving a web page element on a client computer having an identity, said web page element including an embedded uniform resource locator, said embedded uniform resource locator including a redirection uniform resource locator and a series identifier for a graphic image associated with said redirection uniform resource locator, said web page element served based on said identity of said client computer;
redirecting a service request from said client computer, in response to said serving of said web page element, based on said identity of said client computer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
redirecting said client computer to a tracking server based at least in part on said embedded uniform resource locator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein said tracking server is to redirect said client computer to a content server associated with said web page element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said redirection uniform resource locator is to redirect said client computer to a content server associated with said web page element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 further comprising:
redirecting said client computer to said content server based at least in part on said embedded uniform resource locator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said embedded uniform resource locator further includes said identity of said client computer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said service request includes said identity of said client computer.

### Claim 8

A method of operating a client computer having an identity, the method comprising:
receiving a web page element from a server, said web page element including an embedded uniform resource locator, said embedded uniform resource locator including a redirection uniform resource locator and a series identifier for a graphic image associated with said redirection uniform resource locator, said web page element received based on said identity of said client computer;
making a service request to said server, in response to said receiving of said web page element, based on said identity of said client computer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising:
redirecting said client computer to a tracking server based at least in part on said embedded uniform resource locator.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein said tracking server is to redirect said client computer to a content server associated with said web page element.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein said content server is to redirect said client computer to said tracking server.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein said embedded uniform resource locator further includes said identity of said client computer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein said service request includes said identity of said client computer.

### Claim 14

A server comprising:
a CPU configured to:
serve a web page element including an embedded uniform resource locator, said embedded uniform resource locator including a redirection uniform resource locator, a redirection directive, and a series identifier for a graphic image associated with said redirection uniform resource locator, said web page element served based on said identity of said client computer; and
redirect a service request from said client computer, in response to said serving of said web page element, based on said identity of said client computer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The server of claim 14, wherein said CPU is configured to redirect said client computer to a tracking server based at least in part on said embedded uniform resource locator.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The server of claim 15, wherein said tracking server is to redirect said client computer to a content server associated with said web page element.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The server of claim 14, wherein said redirection uniform resource locator is to redirect said client computer to a content server associated with said web page element.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The server of claim 17, wherein said CPU is configured to redirect said client computer to said content server based at least in part on said embedded uniform resource locator.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The server of claim 14, wherein said embedded uniform resource locator further includes said identity of said client computer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The server of claim 14, wherein said service request includes said identity of said client computer.