Method and system for sharing the browser

• US 6,950,852 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2000
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayaghi, Makoto, Sakairi, Takashi, Shinozaki, Masahide
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US09/480,701
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709203-205, 709/208, 715/512
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and system for sharing a browser. A collaboration server is provided for accumulating pages to be shared from a Web server retaining original pages. The collaboration server comprises a CachinManager that accumulates pages for sharing, a CommunicationManager that controls sessions among NodeManagers controlling a browser on each user machine, and an Embedder that embeds in each page a PageManager for controlling pages. The plural user machines to be shared comprise and existing Web browser and a PageManager embedded in each page. A PageManager comprises two parts, namely, a PageController and a PageCommunicator.

Claims

1. A method for sharing a browser among plural computers, comprising the steps of:

on activating said browser of a computer, loading a NodeManager on the computer from a server;

establishing communication between said server and said NodeManager;

said NodeManager assigning shared memory;

on page viewing on said browser, the server embedding on a requested page on said server a PageManager for controlling the page;

the server sending the requested page, with the PageManager embedded therein, to said browser for viewing;

establishing communication between said NodeManager and said PageManager via said shared memory; and

sending changes in a page on page viewing to said NodeManager via the PageManager and said shared memory, or receiving changes in a page of another computer from said NodeManager via the PageManager and said shared memory and reflecting said changes to a next page; and

having a server and plural computers for sharing a browser, each computer has a browser for browser pages, a PageManager controlling said pages, and a NodeManager controlling said browser for making a communicating between said PageManager said server, wherein;

said server includes;

means to transmit the NodeManager to each of the plurality of computers;

means to embed the PageManager into each of said pages; and

means to send the pages, with the PageManager embedded therein, to the plurality of computers;

wherein

said PageManager comprises;

means for detecting changes in the page in which the PageManager is embedded, and sending said changes to the NodeManager on the computer on which the page is located, the NodeManager sending said changes to said server; and

means for receiving changes in a page of another computer from said NodeManager on the computer on which the PageManager is located, and reflecting said changes to the page in which the PageManager is embedded.