Method and system for estimating a number of users of a website based on lossy compressed data

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system for estimating a number of users of a website. According to the method, it is repeatedly determined that the website is accessed by an entity and data dependent on the entity is determined and stored. The stored data is repeatedly compressed using a lossy compressing algorithm and based on the compressed data a number of users of the website is estimated.

1 . A method for estimating a number of users of a website, the method comprising:
 repeatedly determining that the website is accessed by an entity;   in reaction to the access of the website, determining data dependent on the entity that accesses the website and storing the data;   lossy compressing the stored data; and   estimating a number of users of the website based on the lossy compressed stored data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a maximum amount of data to be stored;   determining a set of numbers;   repeatedly mapping the data dependent on the entities that access the website onto a number of the set of numbers according to a mapping function and storing the resulting numbers;   when the maximum amount of data to be stored is exceeded, pruning the set of numbers and deleting the stored numbers that correspond to the pruned numbers of the set of numbers;   determining a relation between the size of the set of the not-pruned numbers and the size of the set of the pruned numbers; and   estimating the number of users of the website based on the pruned stored data and the relation.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing an array of bits in a storage;   repeatedly mapping the data dependent on the entities that access the website onto one bit of the array of bits according to a mapping function and activating the bit of the array of bits onto which the data was mapped; and   estimating the number of users of the website based on the activated bits of the array of bits.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 determining a period of time for which the number of users is to be estimated;   dividing the period of time into intervals;   providing a plurality of arrays of bits corresponding to the number of intervals;   associating each array of bits of the plurality of arrays of bits with one interval, such that for each interval one array of bits is used;   activating in each interval the bits of the associated array of bits according to the data dependent on the entities that access the website during the interval, such that each array of bits allows to estimate the number of users of the website that accessed the website during the associated interval; and   after the end of the period of time, determining an array of bits that allows to estimate the number of users of the website that accessed the website during the period of time by combining the arrays of bits for each interval using a logical OR-operation between the bits of the arrays of bits having the same significance.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the mapping function maps the data dependent on the entity based on a uniform distribution. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the mapping function is non-linear, such that the number of data items dependent on the entities that is mapped onto one bit varies in dependence on a magnitude of the data item. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein estimating the number of users of the website based on the activated bits of the array of bits uses a maximum likelihood analysis. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3  wherein estimating the number of users of the website based on the activated bits of the array of bits comprises:
 providing an estimation function relating a number of activated bits with a number of users, 
 determining a number of activated bits by counting the number of activated bits of the array of bits, and 
 estimating the number of users of the website based on the number of activated bits of the array of bits and the estimation function. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data dependent on the entity is an identification of the entity. 
     
     
         10 . A system for estimating a number of users of a website, the system comprising a data processing apparatus adapted to execute:
 determining that the website is accessed by an entity;   determining data dependent on the entity that accesses the website, in reaction to the access of the website;   storing the data;   lossy compressing the stored data; and estimating a number of users of the website based on the lossy compressed stored data.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the data processing apparatus is adapted to execute:
 determining a maximum amount of data to be stored; 
 determining a set of numbers; 
 repeatedly mapping the data dependent on the entities that access the website onto a number of the set of numbers according to a mapping function; 
 storing the resulting numbers; 
 pruning the set of numbers and deleting the stored numbers that correspond to the pruned numbers of the set of numbers, when the maximum amount of data to be stored is exceeded; 
 determining a relation between the size of the set of the not-pruned numbers and the size of the set of the pruned numbers; and 
 estimating the number of users of the website based on the pruned stored data and the relation. 
 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the data processing apparatus comprises a storage configured to store an array of bits, the data processing apparatus being adapted to execute:
 repeatedly mapping the data dependent on the entities that access the website onto one bit of the array of bits according to a mapping function and for activating the bit of the array of bits onto which the data was mapped, and 
 estimating the number of users of the website based on the activated bits of the array of bits. 
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the data processing apparatus is adapted to execute:
 determining a period of time for which the number of users is to be estimated, 
 dividing the period of time into intervals, 
 providing a plurality of arrays of bits corresponding to the number of intervals, 
 associating each array of bits of the plurality of arrays of bits with one interval, such that for each interval one array of bits is used, 
 activating in each interval the bits of the associated array of bits according to the data dependent on the entities that access the website during the interval, such that each array of bits allows to estimate the number of users of the website that accessed the website during the associated interval, and 
 after the end of the period of time, determining an array of bits that allows to estimate the number of users of the website that accessed the website during the period of time by combining the arrays of bits for each interval using a logical OR-operation between the bits of the arrays of bits having the same significance. 
 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the mapping function maps the data dependent on the entity based on a uniform distribution. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the mapping function is non-linear, such that the number of data items dependent on the entities that is mapped onto one bit varies in dependence on a magnitude of the data item. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12  wherein, when estimating the number of users of the website based on the activated bits of the array of bits, the data processing apparatus is adapted to use a maximum likelihood analysis. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12  wherein, when estimating the number of users of the website based on the activated bits of the array of bits, the data processing apparatus is adapted to execute:
 storing an estimation function relating a number of activated bits with a number of users, 
 determining a number of activated bits by counting the number of activated bits of the array of bits, and 
 estimating the number of users of the website based on the number of activated bits of the array of bits and the estimation function. 
 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the data dependent on the entity is an identification of the entity. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program recorded therein, the computer program comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by a data processing apparatus, cause the data processing apparatus to execute:
 repeatedly determining that the website is accessed by an entity;   in reaction to the access of the website, determining data dependent on the entity that accesses the website and storing the data;   lossy compressing the stored data; and   estimating a number of users of the website based on the lossy compressed stored data.   
     
     
         20 . A method for estimating a number of users of a website, the method comprising:
 determining a period of time for which the number of users is to be estimated;   dividing the period of time into intervals;   providing a plurality of arrays of bits corresponding to the number of intervals;   associating each array of bits of the plurality of arrays of bits with one interval, such that for each interval one array of bits is used;   repeatedly determining that the website is accessed by an entity;   in reaction to the access of the website, determining data dependent on the entity that accesses the website and storing the data;   in each interval, repeatedly mapping the data dependent on the entity that accesses the website during the interval onto one bit of the array of bits that is associated with the interval according to a mapping function and activating the bit of the array of bits onto which the data was mapped, such that after the end of the period of time each array of bits allows to estimate the number of users of the website that accessed the website during the associated interval;   after the end of the period of time, determining an array of bits that allows to estimate the number of users of the website that accessed the website during the period of time by combining the arrays of bits for each interval using a logical OR-operation between the bits of the arrays of bits having the same significance; and   estimating the number of users of the website based on the activated bits of the array of bits.   
     
     
         21 . A system for estimating a number of users of a website, the system comprising a data processing apparatus adapted to execute:
 determining a period of time for which the number of users is to be estimated;   dividing the period of time into intervals;   providing a plurality of arrays of bits corresponding to the number of intervals;   associating each array of bits of the plurality of arrays of bits with one interval, such that for each interval one array of bits is used;   repeatedly determining that the website is accessed by an entity;   in reaction to the access of the website, determining data dependent on the entity that accesses the website and storing the data;   in each interval, repeatedly mapping the data dependent on the entity that accesses the website during the interval onto one bit of the array of bits that is associated with the interval according to a mapping function and activating the bit of the array of bits onto which the data was mapped, such that after the end of the period of time each array of bits allows to estimate the number of users of the website that accessed the website during the associated interval;   after the end of the period of time, determining an array of bits that allows to estimate the number of users of the website that accessed the website during the period of time by combining the arrays of bits for each interval using a logical OR-operation between the bits of the arrays of bits having the same significance; and   estimating the number of users of the website based on the activated bits of the array of bits.   
     
     
         22 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program recorded therein, the computer program comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by a data processing apparatus, cause the data processing apparatus to execute:
 determining a period of time for which the number of users is to be estimated;   dividing the period of time into intervals;   providing a plurality of arrays of bits corresponding to the number of intervals;   associating each array of bits of the plurality of arrays of bits with one interval, such that for each interval one array of bits is used;   repeatedly determining that the website is accessed by an entity;   in reaction to the access of the website, determining data dependent on the entity that accesses the website and storing the data;   in each interval, repeatedly mapping the data dependent on the entity that accesses the website during the interval onto one bit of the array of bits that is associated with the interval according to a mapping function and activating the bit of the array of bits onto which the data was mapped, such that after the end of the period of time each array of bits allows to estimate the number of users of the website that accessed the website during the associated interval;   after the end of the period of time, determining an array of bits that allows to estimate the number of users of the website that accessed the website during the period of time by combining the arrays of bits for each interval using a logical OR-operation between the bits of the arrays of bits having the same significance; and   estimating the number of users of the website based on the activated bits of the array of bits.