System, method and computer readable medium for determining user attention area from user interface events
Inventors
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Publication Number
US-9891779-B2
Publication Date
2018-02-13
Expiration Date
Abstract
During an interaction with a web page, user interface events are recorded and augmented with page layout data from the document object model. An event stream is formed with the page layout data and communicated to an event server. The event server processes the event stream to determine a location at which the events were generated, which can be used to predict an area of a user's attention.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a web-based attention prediction system that processes web page content containing a plurality of document object model (DOM) elements arranged in a DOM structure. At least one DOM element contains a particular identifier attribute associated with tracking attention time and user interest events, while other DOM elements do not contain the identifier attribute. The system executes an event observer module within a client web browser to record user triggered events generated within the web browser.
The system generates event streams including an event header message and one or more event stream messages comprising one or more user triggered events, and transmits the event stream message to an event server configured to perform an attention analysis. Within the client web browser, the system compares a current DOM structure of the current web page with a previously recorded web page DOM structure to determine whether any changes have occurred.
The comparison results are provided as a DOM structure summary to the event observer module and are added to the event stream message along with data indicating determined predefined user initiated events recorded based on interaction with the identifier attribute-containing DOM elements. The attention analysis computes a probabilistic locus of attention for a user within the current web page based on data including, for each DOM element containing the particular identifier attribute, a type of interest event, a time interval, and one or more probabilities corresponding to the one or more DOM elements associated with the user initiated event.
The system may further incorporate viewport-location context by using viewport location history to determine event positions relative to DOM element locations in a viewport window, and to refine the probabilistic locus of attention computation.
Claims Coverage
The document contains three independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive features are directed to DOM-element-attribute-based tracking, client-side event stream generation with DOM-change summarization, transmission to an event server for attention analysis, and computation of a probabilistic locus of attention using per-DOM-element interest event type, time interval, and probabilities.
Dom elements with tracking identifier attribute and client-side event observation
Receiving web page content for a current web page, wherein at least one DOM element contains a particular identifier attribute associated with tracking attention time and user interest events, and executing an event observer module within a client web browser that records user triggered events and generates event streams including an event header message and one or more event stream messages.
Dom structure comparison and inclusion of predefined user initiated events in event stream
Comparing, within the client web browser, a current DOM structure of the current web page with a previously recorded web page DOM structure to determine whether any changes have occurred, providing a DOM structure summary to the event observer module, and adding the results of the comparison based on a DOM structure summary to an event stream message including data indicating the determined predefined user initiated events.
Attention analysis via probabilistic locus of attention from per-element interest event data
Transmitting the event stream message, including the results of the comparison based on a DOM structure summary and the data indicating the determined predefined user initiated events, to an event server configured to perform an attention analysis for the current web page, and computing a probabilistic locus of attention for a user within the current web page based on data including, for each DOM element containing the particular identifier attribute, a type of interest event, a time interval, and one or more probabilities corresponding to the one or more DOM elements associated with the user initiated event.
The independent claims cover a client-side approach that uses DOM elements marked with a particular identifier attribute to track attention time and user interest events, summarizes DOM changes and predefined user initiated events into transmitted event streams, and enables an event server to compute a probabilistic locus of attention using per-DOM-element interest event type, time interval, and probabilities.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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