Method and system of collaborative browsing
First Claim
1. A collaborative browsing system for a computer network comprising network servers hosting a plurality of network sites, comprising:
- a main server bi-directionally connected to the computer network, the main server grouping locations of the network sites into server-defined cells; and
a plurality of client programs bi-directionally connected to the main server via the network and each connected to at least one of the network sites, wherein said main server enables a first one of the client programs connected to a network site in one of the server-defined cells to identify a second one of the client programs and to form a session with that second client program that collaboratively browses the network sites, and wherein the main server stores a location of the network site to which the session is connected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dynamic collaborative-browsing system enables client programs connected to a computer network to join and leave groups or sessions, to collaboratively browse together as a session, to communicate with other client programs in the session. Each client program in the session may act as a session leader, or may just follow a session leader as it browses network sites of the computer network. The system includes client programs, typically executing on client computers and server software, typically executing on one or more main servers. Network servers, such as Web servers, host a number of network sites each having a location or uniform resource locator (URL). The main server groups into server-defined cells. One or more client programs interact with the server software to cause the server to create a session, to cause the client program to connect to a network site, to notify the server software of the network site'"'"'s location or URL, and to notify other client programs in the session of the network site'"'"'s location or URL so that other client programs in the session become connected to the same network site. The server software facilitates the formation of client programs into sessions and allows the client programs to communicate, to connect to and view a same network site, and to perform other collaborative activities. The server software also groups sessions currently connected to network sites in a same cell, and notifies each session and the client programs of the sessions of all of the other sessions and client programs in the same cell. The server software also facilitates communication between the sessions and client programs connected to network sites in the same cell.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A collaborative browsing system for a computer network comprising network servers hosting a plurality of network sites, comprising:
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a main server bi-directionally connected to the computer network, the main server grouping locations of the network sites into server-defined cells; and
a plurality of client programs bi-directionally connected to the main server via the network and each connected to at least one of the network sites, wherein said main server enables a first one of the client programs connected to a network site in one of the server-defined cells to identify a second one of the client programs and to form a session with that second client program that collaboratively browses the network sites, and wherein the main server stores a location of the network site to which the session is connected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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14. In a computer network comprising a plurality of network servers hosting a plurality of network sites, a method of collaboratively browsing the network by a plurality of client programs connected to the network, comprising:
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defining a plurality of cells, each cell comprising at least one location of a network site in the computer network;
communicating to a first client program connected to a first network site in one of the server-defined cells information identifying a second client program which is connected to a second network site in the one server-defined cell;
receiving a request from the first client program to form a first session together with the second client program to collaboratively browse the network sites;
assigning the first and second client programs to a first session which collaboratively browses the network sites; and
sending a current location of a network site to which the first session is connected to all client programs in the session.
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21. A main server holding a SimulWorld, comprising:
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a session manager for receiving commands that selectively join a plurality of users into a session; and
a cell manager for forming a plurality of network locations into a server-defined cell, wherein the main server sends information to a first user regarding properties of the session, wherein the main server sends information to the first user regarding other sessions in the cell; and
wherein the main server sends updated network location information of the session to the first user when the session changes its network location. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification