Technique for permitting collaboration between web browsers and adding content to HTTP messages bound for web browsers

• US 6,748,418 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2000
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kaneta, Jun, Yoshida, Yoichi, Takahashi, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/595,134
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/203, 709/204, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/220, 709/221, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

A technique for permitting collaboration and coordination between the content displayed in multiple web browsers, such as the browser for a customer and the browser for a company agent. An HTTP request is sent from a customer browser to a web server via a collaboration server. The web server then sends an HTTP message responding to this request to the customer web browser via the collaboration server. At this time, the collaboration server refers to stored information, such as past history information and customer purchasing records. When the HTTP message includes data which corresponds to a predetermined condition relative to the stored information, the collaboration server embeds a program for displaying predetermined information in the HTTP message. The modified HTTP message is then sent to one of a customer browser or the browser of a collaborating agent collaborating with the customer or both, and the embedded program is executed and predetermined information is displayed. Preferably, the embedded command is in the form of a JavaScript program which is executed by the web browser, which causes the embedded information to be displayed in a separate window.

Claims

1. An information processing method in an information processing system having a collaboration server which supports collaboration between a first browser loaded on a fifrst computer and a second browser loaded on a second computer, the collaboration server, first computer and second computer being operatively connected by a network, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, at the collaboration server, an HTTP message sent in response to a browser request from the first browser, and updating reference history information;

(b) determining whether or not the reference history information agrees with a predetermined condition;

(c) inserting a program for outputting predetermined information in the HTTP message when the reference history information agrees with the predetermined condition; and

(d) sending the HTTP message with the inserted program to one of the first browser or the second browser.

2. An information processing method in an information processing system having a support server which manages user attribute information corresponding to user specification information and supports collaboration between first and second computers loaded with browsers and connected to a content server, the support server, first computer and second computer being connected by a network, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, at the support server, a message sent from the content server in response to a request from the first computer;

(b) extracting user specification information from the request or the message;

(c) determining whether or not user attribute information corresponding to the extracted user specification information meets a predetermined condition;

(d) if it is determined that the predetermined condition has been met, modifying the message by inserting a program for displaying predetermined content data into the message; and

(e) sending the modified message to the first computer.

3. In a networked computing environment, an information processing method in an information processing system having a support server which manages user attribute information corresponding to user specification information and supports an information terminal connected to a content server and loaded with a client program, said method comprising the steps of:

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

(b) extracting user specification information from the request or the message;

(c) determining whether or not user attribute information corresponding to the extracted user specification information meets a predetermined condition;

(d) modifying the message by inserting a program for outputting predetermined data into the message when the extracted user specification information meets the predetermined condition; and

(e) sending the modified message in which the program is inserted to the information terminal.

4. An information terminal support server which manages user attribute information corresponding to user specification information and supports collaboration between first and second information terminals loaded with browsers and connected to a content server, the information terminal support server, content server, first information terminal and second information terminal being connected via a network, said information terminal support server comprising:

(a) a message checker for determining whether or not user specification information extracted from a message sent from a content server in response to a request from the first information terminal meets a predetermined condition; and

(b) an HTTP editor for inserting a program for outputting predetermined data into the message when the predetermined condition is met.

5. Computer readable code for use in an information processing system having a collaboration server which supports collaboration between a first browser loaded on a first information terminal and a second browser loaded on a second information terminal, the collaboration server, first information terminal and second information terminal being connected by a network, said computer readable code comprising:

(a) first code means for causing the collaboration server to receive an HTTP message sent in response to a request from the first browser and update reference history information;

(b) second code means for determining whether or not the reference history information meets a predetermined condition;

(c) third code means for causing the collaboration server to insert a program for outputting predetermined information in the HTTP message when the reference history information meets the predetermined condition; and

(d) fourth code means for sending the HTTP message with the inserted program to the first browser or the second browser.

6. Computer readable code according to claim 5, wherein the first information terminal is a customer computer, and the reference history information is customer information.

7. Computer readable code according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined information is customer help information retrieved from a help database.

8. Computer readable code for use in an information processing system having an information terminal support server which manages user attribute information corresponding to user specification information and supports collaboration between first and second information terminals loaded with browsers and connected to a content server the information terminal support server, first information terminal, second information terminal and content server being connected by a network, said computer readable code comprising:

(a) first code means for causing the information terminal support server to receive a message sent from the content server in response to a request from the first information terminal;

(b) second code means for extracting user specification information from the request or the message;

(c) third code means for determining whether or not user attribute information corresponding to the extracted user specification information meets a predetermined condition;

(d) fourth code means for inserting a program for displaying predetermined content data into the message; and

(e) fifth code means for sending a message in which the program is inserted to the second information terminal.

9. Computer readable code for use in an information processing system having an information terminal support server which manages user attribute information corresponding to user specification information and supports an information terminal connected to a content server and loaded with a client program, said code comprising:

(a) first code means for causing the information terminal support server to receive a message sent from the content server in response to a request from the information terminal;

(b) second code means for extracting user specification information from the request or the message;

(c) third code means for determining whether or not the extracted user specification information meets a predetermined condition;

(d) fourth code means for inserting a program for displaying predetermined content data into the message; and

(e) fifth code means for sending the message containing the inserted program to the information terminal.

10. Computer readable code according to claim 9, wherein the information terminal support server extracts the user specification information.

11. Computer readable code according to claim 9, wherein the inserted program is a JavaScript program which is executed by a browser loaded on the information terminal and displayed in a separate window.