Method and system for changing a collaborating client behavior according to context

• US 20040098476A1
• Filed: 07/08/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akira Ohkado, Satoshi Kawase, Yoichi Yoshida
• Original Assignee: Akira Ohkado, Satoshi Kawase, Yoichi Yoshida
• Inventors: Yoshida, Yoichi, Kawase, Satoshi, Ohkado, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,092,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A collaboration client'"'"'s behavior is changed according to context while collaborating on an internet. An HTTP request from a customer-side browser is sent to a web server via an information terminal support server. The web server then sends context in response to the request to the customer-side web browser via the information terminal support server. The information terminal support server then checks the contents of the context, and when it is determined that there is agreement with a predetermined condition, a command is inserted into the context. Context without the command inserted is sent to the customer-side web browser, and context with the command inserted is sent to the agent-side web browser. A client program of the agent-side information terminal then reads the embedded command using an API possessed by a web browser and carries out processing in order to prohibit form submission and form alteration and conceal specific forms or fields in accordance with the contents of this command.

Claims

1. An information processing method in an information processing system having an information terminal support server which supports collaboration of a browser loaded on a customer-side information terminal and a browser loaded on an agent-side information terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, at the information terminal support server, an HTTP message sent in response to a customer-side browser request;

(b) determining whether or not said HTTP message agrees with a predetermined condition;

(c) editing contents of said HTTP message when said HTTP message agrees with said predetermined condition;

(d) sending said HTTP message in an unedited form to the custmer-side browser; and

(e) sending said HTTP message in an edited form to the agent-side browser.

2. The information processing method of claim 1, wherein, in said step (c), editing is carried out to insert a command for a client program loaded on the agent-side information terminal.

3. The information processing method of claim 2, wherein said command is one of “

form submit prohibition”

, “

form alteration prohibition”

, “

concealment of specific form”

or “

concealment of specific field”

.

4. An information processing method in an information processing system having an information terminal support server which supports an information terminal connected to a content server and loaded with a client program, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, at the information terminal support server, a message sent from the content server responding to a request from the information terminal;

(b) determining whether or not said message agrees with a predetermined condition;

(c) editing said message to insert a command for the client program when said message agrees with said predetermined condition; and

(d) sending said message in an edited form to the information terminal.

5. An information terminal support server which supports collaboration of a browser loaded on a customer-side information terminal and a browser loaded on an agent-side information terminal, the information support server comprising:

(a) a rule definition part including a condition setting part and a command setting part;

(b) a rule control manager for monitoring, at the information terminal server, HTTP messages sent in response to customer-side browser requests;

(c) an HTTP checker, determining whether or not said HTTP messages agree with a condition of said condition setting part of said rule definition part;

(d) an HTTP editor, editing contents of said HTTP messages according to contents of said command setting part of said rule definition part, when said HTTP messages agree with a predetermined condition;

(e) customer cache storing of said HTTP messages in an unedited form sent to the browser on the customer-side information terminal; and

(f) agent cache storing of said HTTP messages in an edited form sent to the broswer on the agent-side informatin terminal.

6. The information terminal support server of claim 5, wherein said HTTP editor carries out editing to insert a command for a client program loaded on the agent-side information terminal.

7. The information terminal support server of claim 6, wherein said command is one of “

form submit prohibition”

, “

form alteration prohibition”

, “

concealment of specific form”

or “

concealment of specific field”

.

8. An information terminal support server which supports an information terminal connected to a content server and loaded with a client program, the information terminal support server comprising:

(a) a message checker for determining whether or not a message sent from a content server in response to a request from the information terminal agrees with a predetermined condition; and

(b) a message editor, editing said message to insert a command instructing the client program when said message agrees with said predetermined condition.

9. A collaboration system supporting collaboration of a browser loaded on a customer-side information terminal and a browser loaded on an agent-side information terminal, the collaboration system comprising:

(a) an agent-side information terminal collaborating with the customer-side information terminal;

(b1) a rule definition part including a condition setting part and a command setting part;

(b2) a rule control manager for monitoring an HTTP message sent in response to customer-side browser requests;

(b3) an HTTP checker for determining whether or not said HTTP message agrees with a condition of said condition setting part of said rule definition part;

(b4) an HTTP editor, editing contents of said HTTP message according to contents of said command setting part of said rule definition part, when said HTTP message agrees with a predetermined condition;

(b5) customer cache for storing said HTTP message in an uedited form sent to the browser loaded on a customer-side information terminal; and

(b6) an information terminal support server having agent cache for storing said HTTP message in an edited form sent to the browser loaded on an agent-side information terminal.

10. A computer program product recorded on computer readable medium for recording medium storing an information processing program executed within a system having an information terminal support server supporting collaboration of a browser loaded on a customer-side information terminal and a browser loaded on an agent-side information terminal, the program product comprising:

(a) computer readable means for instructing the information terminal support server to receive an HTTP message sent in response to a request of said customer-side browser;

(b) computer readable means for instructing the information terminal support server to determine whether or not said HTTP message agrees with a predetermined condition;

(c) computer readable means for instructing the information terminal support server to edit contents of said HTTP message when said HTTP message agrees with said predetermined condition;

(d) computer readable means for instructing the information terminal support server to send said HTTP message in an unedited form to said customer-side browser; and

(e) computer readable means for instructing the information terminal support server to send said HTTP message in an edited form to said agent-side browser.

11. The program product of claim 10, wherein editing is carried out to insert a command into a client program loaded on said agent-side information terminal.

12. The program product of claim 11, wherein said command is one of “

form submit prohibition”

, “

form alteration prohibition”

, “

concealment of specific form”

or “

concealment of specific field”

.

13. A computer program product recorded on computer readable medium for storing an information processing program executed within a system having an information terminal support server which supports an information terminal connected to a content server and loaded with a client program, the program product comprising:

(a) computer readable means for instructing the information terminal support server to receive a message sent from the content server in response to a request from the information terminal support server;

(b) computer readable means for instructing the information terminal support server to determine whether or not said message agrees with a predetermined condition;

(c) computer readable means for instructing the information terminal support server to edit said message to insert a command providing instructions to said client program when said message agrees with said predetermined condition; and

(d) computer readable means for instructing the information terminal support to send said message in an edited form to the information terminal support server.