System and method for directing shared data

• US 20020049812A1
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Published: 04/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VocalTec Communications Incorporated (B. Riley Financial, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VocalTec Communications Incorporated (B. Riley Financial, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nahon, Yuval
• Application Number:
  US09/797,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049812A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/15 Synchronised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/566 Grouping or aggregating service requests, e.g. for unified processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

There are disclosed systems and methods coordinating browsing or cobrowsing that employ an intermediate or proxy server between the clients (customer and agent) and the network, such as the Internet. This intermediate server is configured such that during cobrowsing between at least two clients, the network, such as the Internet, is accessed a single time through a single channel or “pipe” for all clients of this cobrowsing event. Also employed is a filter that receives a data stream with the retrieved target data object accessed from the Internet, and analyzes it for a rule key. If a rule key is not detected, the data stream is passed through the filter to a storage unit of the proxy server for its being provided to all cobrowsing clients. However, should a rule key be detected, the target data object is modified in accordance with a rule corresponding to the rule key. This modified target data object is then passed to the storage unit of the intermediate or proxy server for its being provided to all cobrowsing clients.

Claims

1. A method for coordinated browsing of data objects from a web application server, between at least two clients, comprising:

opening a channel to at least one web application server on a network, and retrieving at least one target data object from said at least one web application server through said channel in accordance with a request for said data object from a first client;

analyzing said at least one target data object for at least one rule key;

modifying said at least one target data object if said rule key is detected;

providing said at least one target data object to a storage medium;

transferring said at least one data object from said storage medium to said first client; and

transferring said at least one data object from said storage medium to a second client, in response to a corresponding request for said data object from said second client.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

changing the domain of said retrieved at least one target data object to the domain corresponding to that of a network accessing component, said network accessing component for accessing said at least one web application server; and

placing a command onto said retrieved target data object to access said network accessing component, when a second target data object is requested by any of said clients.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing said target data object to said storage medium includes providing a unique identifier to said at least one target data object retrieved from said at least one application server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said transferring said at least one data object from said storage medium to a second client, includes matching a unique identifier of said second request with said unique identifier of said at least one target data object retrieved from said at least one application server in said storage medium.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said accessing said at least one application server on a network includes responding to an activated link on a web page, when said link has been activated by at least one of said clients.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said modifying said at least one target data object if said rule key is detected includes, accessing a predetermined rule corresponding to said rule key.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said rule includes at least one command for at least one of replacing or removing at least one parameter associated with said target data object retrieved from said at least one application server.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said rule includes at least one command for adding at least one parameter to said target data object retrieved from said at least one application server.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said rule includes at providing a source to said target data object retrieved from said at least one application server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said providing a source includes providing for at least one of adding, replacing or removing at least one of a regular expression or string with respect to said target data object retrieved from said at least one application server.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein said rule includes at providing a destination to said target data object retrieved from said at least one application server.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said providing a destination includes providing for at least one of adding, replacing or removing at least one of a regular expression or string with respect to said target data object retrieved from said at least one application server.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said processor is additionally programmed to:

change the domain of said retrieved at least one target data object to the domain corresponding to that of said server; and

place a command onto said retrieved target data object to access said server, when a second target data object is requested by any of said clients.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein processor is additionally programmed to:

provide a unique identifier to said at least one target data object retrieved from said at least one application server.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said processor is additionally programmed to:

match a unique identifier of said second request with said unique identifier of said at least one target data object retrieved from said at least one application server in said storage medium, prior to transferring said at least one retrieved target data object to said second client.

18. The system of claim 14, additionally comprising:

a web page having a link to said server.

19. The system of claim 14, additionally comprising a data collaboration server configured for holding and synchronizing cobrowsing between said clients.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said step of modifying includes, accessing at least one predetermined rule from a storage media.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said at least one predetermined rule is selected from the group comprising at least one of:

a command, a source or a destination.

13. A programmable storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for providing coordination of the browsers of at least two clients for a target data object, said method steps selectively executed during the time when said program of instructions is executed on said machine, comprising:

opening a channel to a network in response to a first request for a target data object from a first client;

accessing at least one target data object through said channel from at least one web application server on said network in accordance with said first request;

analyzing said requested at least one target data object for the existence of a rule key;

modifying said target data object in accordance with a rule corresponding to said rule key if said rule key exists;

transferring said requested at least one target data object to said first client;

transferring said at least one target data object to said second client in response to a second request for said at least one target data object from a second client, said second request corresponding to said first request as received from said first client.

14. A system for facilitating coordinated browsing of data objects from a web application server, between at least two clients, comprising:

a server for positioning intermediate said at least two clients and a network, said server comprising;

a storage medium; and

a processor, said processor programmed to;

open a channel to at least one web application server on a network, and retrieve at least one target data object from said at least one web application server through said channel in accordance with a request for said data object from a first client;

provide at least one target data object retrieved from said at least one application server to a storage medium;

analyze said at least one retrieved target data object for a rule key;

modify said retrieved target data object in accordance with a predetermined rule corresponding to said rule key, if a rule key exists;

transfer said at least one data object from said storage medium to said first client; and

transfer said at least one data object from said storage medium to a second client, in response to a corresponding request for said data object from said second client.