Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and systems directed to detect Internet bots in communication networks. Some embodiments of the invention allow an agent of a server to detect human interaction events on a client system. In other particular embodiments, the systems and methods disclosed below can be used to detect bots using server logs. In some other embodiments, the present invention involves sending an agent to a client system and polling the agent on whether human interaction events are detected on the client system.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for an automatic discovery and validation analyzer that identifies factors that have a particular effect on members of a population in engaging in certain activities. A baseline set and a divergent set of members of the population are identified based on whether a member has experienced a significant change in magnitude of the particular effect during a particular period of time. Differences in behaviors of members of the baseline and divergent sets are then analyzed to identify a candidate factor that corresponds to exposure to an item. Such a candidate factor is then validated as to whether it is a cause of said significant change in magnitude of the particular effect experienced by the divergent set of members.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for transmitting a DNS beacon for storage. A method according to one embodiment comprises generating one or more data items for logging and transmitting a DNS request to an authoritative DNS server for a logging domain, with the host name of the DNS request comprising the one or more data items for logging. The DNS request, which comprises the data items for logging, is stored on a storage device.

Abstract: In accordance with aspects disclosed herein, impact that a user interface design has on a user's experience is measured. User response to one or more user interface designs is measured. Two or more user interface designs can be compared based on user response to each design. A single user interface design can be evaluated based on one or more measures of user response to the user interface, or two or more user interface designs can be compared using one or more user response measures corresponding to the user interface designs.

Abstract: Methods for generating comparison shopping data are provided. One example method includes receiving a request for a desired item and generating an item table for the desired item. The item table is assembled from current on-line data that includes e-commerce purchasing information. Once the item table is assembled, the item table is displayed for the requested item such that the displayed information can inform an on-line buyer of the best current purchasing alternatives for the requested item. In one aspect of this method, the desired item can be selected form a data base of classified advertising. Once the classified advertising item is selected, the item table is generated and displayed along with the selected classified advertising item. In one example, the item table can include merchant name information, price information, availability information, new and used information, tax and shipping information, prior purchaser ratings, and total cost information.

Abstract: A system is provided for allocating combinations of search results, types of space, and/or other information from different sources (e.g., search engines) in which a type of space, search results, and/or other information from at least one source or type or from each source or type, for example, are optimized to obtain an optimum commercial value. Using the example of a search, a commercial metric and a user satisfaction metric are established for search terms and used in the optimization process. In calculating the commercial value and the user satisfaction value for a set of search results, the weight given to the commercial value and the user satisfaction value of a search result is different depending on its source. Optionally, keeping the user satisfaction value above a certain threshold is treated as a constraint while optimizing the commercial value. Alternatively, a tradeoff may be allowed between the minimum threshold for the user satisfaction and a better commercial value.

Abstract: A packet mapper prioritizes streams of data packets in a computer network, each data packet having a packet header containing feature values descriptive of the data packet. The packet mapper includes a mapping table that associates application-related features with network-reserved feature values from a range of feature values reserved for use by selected network data packet streams, and a feature value mapper that performs at least one of (i) in each packet header having an application-related feature value associated with a network-reserved feature value, substituting the associated network-reserved feature value for the application-related feature value, and (ii) in each packet header having a network-reserved feature value associated with an application-related feature value, substituting the associated application-related feature value for the network-reserved feature value.