Domain-Specific Browser Tab Creation and Management

• US 20130061160A1
• Filed: 09/01/2011
• Published: 03/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tseng, Erick
• Granted Patent: US 9,213,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

Methods and systems directed to a web browser application that efficiently manages tab creation and switching. The application creates a new browser tab for each top-level domain visited, and stores the data structure for the tab, including forward and backward history, in a table. The application also creates a new browser tab in response to a separate application invoking a web browser, or in response to an explicit command by a user to create a browser tab. Thus, a user may efficiently switch between multiple browser tabs without having to expend time and energy in managing, opening, or closing browser tabs.

Claims

1. A method comprising, by one or more computing systems:

receiving a command to navigate to a first universal resource locator (URL);

adding, to a table of entries representing tabs, a new entry for the first URL;

navigating to the first URL in the newly-created tab.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to navigate to a second URL from a user interface,

determining whether the top-level domain of the second URL is different to a top level domain of the first URL, and, in response to a negative determination, updating the entry for the first URL; and

in response to a positive determination, searching the table for an existing entry for the top-level domain of the second URL, and, upon finding a match, navigating to the requested second URL in the matching tab; and

if no matching entry exists, adding a new entry for the second URL to the table.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the entry for the first URL comprises:

the date and time of the last visit to a top-level domain of the first URL;

a screenshot of the first URL;

forward and reverse history for the top-level domain; and

any cookies or form data for the top-level domain.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the entry for the second URL comprises:

the date and time of the last visit to the top-level domain of the second URL;

a screenshot of the requested second URL;

forward and reverse history for the top-level domain of the second URL; and

any cookies or form data for the top-level domain of the second URL.

5. The method of claim 3, updating the entry comprising:

replacing the date and time of the last visit to the current date and time;

replacing the screenshot with a screenshot of the second URL;

adding the second URL to the history for the entry; and

updating any cookies or form data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is received from a separate application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is received from a user, and contains an explicit instruction to create a new browser tab.

8. A method comprising, by one or more computing systems:

receiving a command from a user to navigate to a first URL;

searching a table of entries, each entry storing information associated with a browser tab, for an entry having the same top-level domain as the URL;

upon finding a match, navigating to the URL in the browser tab associated with the entry, and updating the entry; and

if no match is found, creating a new browser tab associated with a top-level domain of the first URL, and navigating to the first URL.

9. The method of claim 8, each entry associated with a top-level domain, and comprising:

the date and time of the last visit to its associated top-level domain;

a screenshot of a last-visited URL in its associated top-level domain;

forward and reverse history for its associated top-level domain; and

any cookies or form data for its associated top-level domain.

10. A non-transitory, computer-readable media comprising instructions operable, when executed by one or more computing systems, to:

receive a command to navigate to a first universal resource locator (URL);

add, to a table of entries representing tabs, a new entry for the first URL;

navigate to the first URL in the newly-created tab.

11. The media of claim 10, the instructions further operable, when executed, to:

receive a request to navigate to a second URL from a user interface,

determine whether the top-level domain of the second URL is different to a top-level domain of the first URL, and, in response to a negative determination, update the entry for the first URL; and

in response to a positive determination, search the table for an existing entry for the top-level domain of the second URL, and, upon finding a match, navigate to the requested second URL in the matching tab; and

if no matching entry exists, add a new entry for the second URL to the table.

12. The media of claim 10, wherein the entry for the first URL comprises:

the date and time of the last visit to a top-level domain of the first URL;

a screenshot of the first URL;

forward and reverse history for the top-level domain; and

any cookies or form data for the top-level domain.

13. The media of claim 11, wherein the entry for the second URL comprises:

the date and time of the last visit to the top-level domain of the second URL;

a screenshot of the requested second URL;

forward and reverse history for the top-level domain of the second URL; and

any cookies or form data for the top-level domain of the second URL.

14. The media of claim 12, updating the entry comprising:

replacing the date and time of the last visit to the current date and time;

replacing the screenshot with a screenshot of the second URL;

adding the second URL to the history for the entry; and

updating any cookies or form data.

15. The media of claim 10, wherein the command is received from a separate application.

16. The media of claim 10, wherein the command is received from a user, and contains an explicit instruction to create a new browser tab.

17. A non-transitory, computer-readable media comprising instructions operable, when executed by one or more computing systems, to:

receive a command from a user to navigate to a first URL;

search a table of entries, each entry storing information associated with a browser tab, for an entry having the same top-level domain as the URL;

upon finding a match, navigate to the URL in the browser tab associated with the entry, and update the entry; and

if no match is found, create a new browser tab associated with a top-level domain of the first URL, and navigate to the first URL.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein each entry is associated with a top-level domain, and comprises:

the date and time of the last visit to its associated top-level domain;

a screenshot of a last-visited URL in its associated top-level domain;

forward and reverse history for its associated top-level domain; and

any cookies or form data for its associated top-level domain.

19. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media containing instructions, the instructions operable, when executed by the one or more processors, to;

receive a command to navigate to a first universal resource locator (URL);

add, to a table of entries representing tabs, a new entry for the first URL;

navigate to the first URL in the newly-created tab.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, the instructions further operable, when executed, to:

receive a request to navigate to a second URL from a user interface,

determine whether the top-level domain of the second URL is different to a top-level domain of the first URL, and, in response to a negative determination, update the entry for the first URL; and

in response to a positive determination, search the table for an existing entry for the top-level domain of the second URL, and, upon finding a match, navigate to the requested second URL in the matching tab; and

if no matching entry exists, add a new entry for the second URL to the table.