Abstract: A method for selecting an accounting technique for recording interactions with electronic content includes receiving a request for a content item from a user device, selecting a content item in response to the request, and configuring the content item to cause the user device to store a ping identifier in a local memory of the user device. The method further includes distributing the content item to the user device. The distributed content item includes a hyperlink having a ping attribute which causes the user device to send a ping request to one or more servers. The method further includes receiving the ping identifier from the user device, determining whether the ping request was received at the one or more servers, and selecting a ping-based accounting technique or a redirect-based accounting technique based on a result of the determination.

Abstract: A method for reliably using ping to account for interactions with electronic content includes receiving a request for a content item from a user device, selecting a content item in response to the request, determining whether the user device is ping enabled, and generating a hyperlink for inclusion with the selected content item. The hyperlink has a target URL and a ping attribute. At least one of the target URL and the ping attribute is based on a result of the determination whether the user device is ping enabled. The method further includes distributing the content item and the hyperlink to the user device and receiving a ping request from the user device. The ping request includes the target URL and an identifier of the distributed content item. The method further includes accounting for the interaction in response to receiving the ping request from the user device.

Abstract: A method for reliably using ping to account for interactions with electronic content includes receiving a request for a content item from a user device, selecting a content item in response to the request, determining whether the user device is ping enabled, and generating a hyperlink for inclusion with the selected content item. The hyperlink has a target URL and a ping attribute. At least one of the target URL and the ping attribute is based on a result of the determination whether the user device is ping enabled. The method further includes distributing the content item and the hyperlink to the user device and receiving a ping request from the user device. The ping request includes the target URL and an identifier of the distributed content item. The method further includes accounting for the interaction in response to receiving the ping request from the user device.

Abstract: A method for selecting an accounting technique for recording interactions with electronic content includes receiving a request for a content item from a user device, selecting a content item in response to the request, and configuring the content item to cause the user device to store a ping identifier in a local memory of the user device. The method further includes distributing the content item to the user device. The distributed content item includes a hyperlink having a ping attribute which causes the user device to send a ping request to one or more servers. The method further includes receiving the ping identifier from the user device, determining whether the ping request was received at the one or more servers, and selecting a ping-based accounting technique or a redirect-based accounting technique based on a result of the determination.

Abstract: A speech applications server is arranged to provide a user driven service in accordance with an application program in response to user commands for selecting service options. The user is prompted by audio prompts to issue the user commands. The application program comprises a state machine operable to determine a state of the application program from one of a predetermined set of states defining a logical procedure through the user selected service options, transitions between states being determined in accordance with logical conditions to be satisfied in order to change between one state of the set and another state of the set. The logical conditions include whether a user has provided one of a set of possible commands. A prompt selection engine is operable to generate the audio prompts for prompting the commands from the user in accordance with predetermined rules. The prompt selected by the prompt selection engine is determined at run-time.

Abstract: An applications server is operable to provide a plurality of user driven services by running an application program. The application program is arranged to provide the services in response to user commands for selecting service options. The applications server comprises in accordance with the application program a state machine able to determine a current state of the application program from one of a pre-determined set of states defining a logical procedure through the user selected service options. The states of the state machine includes for each of the modular services, one or more states associated with one or more forms within the service. Each form defines a state of a user interface for providing the services to the user, and each state includes one or more sub-states called situations, defining the commands to be recognised and the predicates to be satisfied to select that state depending upon the estimated user commands and the session state of the user session.