Method and system for co-browsing in a B2C2C co-browse architecture through co-browsing functionality embedded in content of a content provider as initiated by a host to a co-browse session

• US 10,038,746 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2014
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eGain Communications Corporation
• Original Assignee: Egain Corporation (eGain Communications Corporation)
• Inventors: Roy, Ashutosh, Hahn, Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dustin
• Application Number:
  US14/475,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20150067180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 709204, 709206, 715738, 715748, 715753
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions

Abstract

A method for co-browsing includes establishing a communication session between a first web browser and a content provider to deliver content, wherein the content comprises embedded co-browsing functionality. A request is received for activating the co-browsing functionality. A second communication session is established between the web browser of a first device and a co-browse communication server to initiate a co-browse session, wherein the first device acts as a host. A third communication session is established between a second web browser and the co-browse communication server to join the second web browser into the co-browse session based on the co-browse session identifier. The co-browse session is established between the first web browser as host and the second web browser of said second device as guest, such that the content at the first web browser is delivered to the second web browser via the co-browse communication sever over the co-browse session.

Claims

1. A method for co-browsing, comprising:

establishing a first communication session between a first web browser of first device and a content provider over a network to deliver content to said first web browser from said content provider, wherein said content comprises embedded co-browsing functionality to host a co-browse session;

receiving a request for activating said co-browsing functionality at said first device;

establishing a second communication session between said first web browser and a co-browse communication server to initiate said co-browse session, wherein said co-browse session comprises a co-browse session identifier, priority information, and rules, wherein said first device acts as a host in said co-browse session;

establishing a third communication session between a second web browser of a second device and said co-browse communication server to join said second web browser into said co-browse session based on said co-browse session identifier;

identifying the first communication session by the content provider based on the previously received user identifier; and

establishing said co-browse session between said first web browser as said host and said second web browser of said second device as a guest, such that said content at said first web browser is delivered to said second web browser via said co-browse communication sever over said co-browse session by said embedded co-browsing functionality delivered to said first web browser in said content,

wherein said second device is insulated from receiving direct communication from said content provider, and

wherein said co-browse session allows the host and the guest to display online content from said content provider subject to modifications to a display of said second device for co-browsing depending on said priority information and said rules as defined for the host or the guest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a request for activating said co-browsing functionality further comprises:

providing an icon for activating said co-browsing functionality within or overlaid said content at said first device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said establishing a second communication session comprises:

determining that said icon is activated at said first device;

initiating said co-browse session; and

joining said first web browser into said co-browse session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said co-browse functionality in said content provides for:

accessing a document object model (DOM) of said content delivered to said first web browser; and

sending said DOM to said co-browse communication server for delivery to said second web browser.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

recognizing changes to said DOM in an updated DOM at one of said first and second web browsers; and

sending said updated DOM to said co-browse communication server for delivery to the other of said first and second web browsers.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a link comprising said co-browse session identifier at said first web browser from said co-browse communication server, wherein said link when activated directs a corresponding browser to establish communication with said co-browse communication server to join said co-browse session; and

delivering said link to said second device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said delivering said link comprises:

pasting said link into a chat conducted between said first device and said second device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said delivering said link comprises:

including said link in an electronic message that is delivered from said first device to said second device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said establishing a third communication session comprises:

activating said link at said second device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing a third communication session comprises:

establishing a fourth communication session between said second web browser and a join page;

entering a token in said join page, wherein said token comprises said co-browse session identifier; and

directing said second web browser to said co-browse communication server over said third communication session to join said second web browser into said co-browse session based on said token.

11. A system for co-browsing, comprising:

a first device comprising a first web browser configured for communicating over a network;

a content provider providing content comprising embedded co-browsing functionality;

a first communication session between said first web browser and said content provider over said network to deliver said content to said first web browser from said content provider;

a second device comprising a second web browser for communicating over said network;

a co-browse communication server configured to provide a co-browse session comprising a co-browse session identifier, priority information, and rules;

a second communication session established between said first web browser and said co-browse communication server to initiate said co-browse session comprising a co-browse session identifier, wherein said second communication session is established in response to receiving a request for activating said co-browse functionality at said first device, wherein said first device acts as a host in said co-browse session;

a third communication session established between said second web browser and said co-browse communication server to join said second web browser into said co-browse session based on said co-browse session identifier and based on the previously received user identifier;

said co-browse session established between said first web browser as said host and said second web browser of said second device as a guest, such that said content at said first web browser is delivered to said second web browser via said co-browse communication sever over said co-browse session by said embedded co-browsing functionality delivered to said first web browser in said content,

wherein said second device is insulated from receiving direct communication from said content provider, and

wherein said co-browse session allows the host and the guest to display online content from said content provider subject to modifications to a display of said second device for co-browsing depending on said priority information and said rules as defined for the host or the guest.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said content provider is configured to provide an icon for activating said co-browsing functionality that is overlaid said content at said first device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein first device is configured to determine that said icon is activated, and initiate said co-browse session through said second communication session to join said first web browser into said co-browse session.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said first device is configured to access a document object model (DOM) of said content, and send said DOM to said co-browse communication server for delivery to said second web browser.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first device is configure to recognize changes to said DOM in an updated DOM, and send said updated DOM to said co-browse communication server for delivery to said second web browser.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said second device is configure to recognize changes to said DOM in an updated DOM, and send said updated DOM to said co-browse communication server for delivery to said first web browser.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein said first web browser is configured to receive a link comprising said co-browse session identifier from said co-browse communication server and deliver said link to said second device, wherein said link when activated directs a corresponding browser to establish communication with said co-browse communication server to join said co-browse session.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said first web browser is configured to paste said link into a chat conducted between said first device and said second device, or include said link in an electronic message that is delivered from said first device to said second device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said second web browser is configured to establish a fourth communication session between said second web browser and a join page, enter a token into said join page, wherein said token comprises said co-browse session identifier, and direct said second web browser to said co-browse communication server to join said second web browser into said co-browse session based on said token.

20. A method for co-browsing, comprising:

establishing a first communication session between a content provider and a first web browser of a first device over a network;

delivering content to said first web browser, wherein said content comprises embedded co-browsing functionality, priority information, and rules;

exposing said co-browsing functionality in said content with an icon comprising said co-browse session identifier, such that when said icon is activated at said first device, said first web browser is joined into said co-browse session as a host, wherein said co-browse session is established between said first web browser and a second web browser of a second device through a co-browse communication server, and based on the previously received user identifier, and

wherein said content at said first web browser is delivered to said second web browser via said co-browse communication server by said embedded co-browsing functionality delivered to said first web browser in said content,

wherein said second device is insulated from receiving direct communication from said content provider, and

wherein said co-browse session allows the host and the guest to display online content from said content provider subject to modifications to a display of said second device for co-browsing depending on said priority information and said rules as defined for the host or the guest.