Cooperative browsers using browser information contained in an e-mail message for re-configuring

• US 6,963,901 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2000
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, MOBILE OFFICE ENVIRONMENT
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Day, Paul Reuben, Bates, Cary Lee, Santosuosso, John Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, OANH
• Application Number:
  US09/624,884
• Time in Patent Office: 1,933 Days
• Field of Search: 705/204, 705/218, 705/221, 705/248, 709204-206, 709/218, 709220-222, 709/248, 709245-246
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

The present invention provides a method, apparatus and article of manufacture configured to support sharing of browser information between at least two browser applications. A first browser executing on a first computer generates browser information in response to user input. The browser information is selectively routed to a second computer containing a second browser. The browser information is then used to reconfigure the second browser.

Claims

1. A method for sharing user-configured browser information between at least two network browsers configured to communicate the user-configured browser information via a network, comprising:

generating the user-configured browser information during execution of a first network browser on a first computer in response to user-input commands;

specifying, at the first computer, a second computer containing a second network browser as a recipient of the user-configured browser information from the first computer; and

transmitting the user-configured browser information, via the network, from the first computer to the second computer,

wherein;

the user-configured browser information comprises bookmark information and user-preferences information and is adapted to reconfigure the second network browser,

the user-preferences information comprises display attributes of the first network browser which cause the second network browser to be reconfigured according to the display attributes, thereby causing the second network browser to resemble first network browser on the second computer with respect to said display attributes, and

said transmitting the user-configured browser information comprises sending an electronic mail message containing said user-configured browser information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating comprises generating input device information representing user input to an input device connected to the first computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating comprises generating the user-configured browser information during at least one browsing session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating comprises generating favorites information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating comprises generating network addresses for electronic documents accessed during at least one browsing session.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting comprises sending an electronic mail message containing the user-configured browser information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting occurs automatically in response to a predetermined event.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising reconfiguring the second network browser according to the user-configured browser information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising buffering the user-configured browser information prior to the step of transmitting.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-configured browser information further comprises cookies created during browsing sessions using the first network browser.

11. A method for reconfiguring a first browser located on a first computer, comprising:

receiving an electronic mail message containing a user-configured browser information;

parsing said user-configured browser information received from a second computer connected to the first computer via a network, wherein the first computer was specified as a recipient of the user-configured browser information at the second computer, wherein the user-configured browser information comprises information generated during execution of a second browser located on the second computer and including bookmark information and user-preferences information, and wherein the user preferences information comprises display attributes of the second browser which cause the first network browser to be reconfigured according to the display attributes, thereby causing the first network browser to resemble second network browser on the first computer with respect to the display attributes; and

reconfiguring the first browser according to the user-configured browser information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein reconfiguring comprises changing at least one of bookmark information, favorites information, user-preferences information and accessed network addresses information stored on the first computer.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the user-configured browser information further comprises cookies created during browsing sessions using the second browser.

14. A signal-bearing medium containing a browser program which, when executed by a processor, performs a method for sharing user-configured browser information between at least two network browsers configured to communicate the user-configured browser information via a network, the method comprising:

generating the user-configured browser information during execution of a first network browser on a first computer in response to user-input commands;

specifying, at the first computer, a second computer containing a second network browser as a recipient of the user-configured browser information from the first computer; and

transmitting the user-configured browser information, via the network, from the first computer to the second computer,

wherein;

the user-configured browser information comprises bookmark information and user-preferences information and is adapted to reconfigure the second network browser,

the user-preferences information comprises display attributes of the first network browser which cause the second network browser to be reconfigured according to the display attributes, thereby causing the second network browser to resemble first network browser on the second computer with respect to said display attributes, and

said transmitting the user-configured browser information comprises sending an electronic mail message containing said user-configured browser information.

15. The signal-bearing medium of claim 14, wherein generating comprises generating input device information representing user input to an input device connected to the computer.

16. The signal-bearing medium of claim 14, wherein generating comprises generating the user-configured browser information during at least one browsing session.

17. The signal-bearing medium of claim 14, wherein generating comprises generating favorites information.

18. The signal-bearing medium of claim 14, wherein generating comprises generating network addresses for electronic documents accessed during at least one browsing session.

19. The signal-bearing medium of claim 14, wherein transmitting comprises sending an electronic mail message containing the user-configured browser information.

20. The signal-bearing medium of claim 14, wherein transmitting comprises sending an electronic mail message containing the user-configured browser information and wherein the user-configured browser information further comprises at least one of favorites information and network addresses.

21. The signal-bearing medium of claim 14, further comprising reconfiguring the second network browser according to the user-configured browser information.

22. A signal-bearing medium containing a browser program which, when executed by a processor, performs a method for reconfiguring a first browser located on a first computer, comprising

receiving an electronic mail message containing a user-configured browser information;

parsing said user-configured browser information received from a second computer connected to the first computer via a network, wherein the first computer was specified as a recipient of the user-configured browser information at the second computer, wherein the user-configured browser information comprises information generated during execution of a second browser located on the second computer and including bookmark information and user-preferences information, and wherein the user preferences information comprises display attributes of the second browser which cause the first network browser to be reconfigured according to the display attributes, thereby causing the first network browser to resemble second network browser on the first computer with respect to the display attributes; and

reconfiguring the first browser according to the user-configured browser information.

23. The signal-bearing medium of claim 22, wherein reconfiguring comprises changing the contents of data structures of the first browser.

24. The signal-bearing medium of claim 22, wherein reconfiguring comprises changing at least one of bookmark information, favorites information, user-preferences information and accessed network addressed information.

25. A system comprising:

a first computer comprising a first processor and a first memory containing a first browser, wherein the first browser generates first browser information in response to user-input commands and wherein the first computer is configured to send the first browser information to the second computer in response to a user designation of the second computer as a recipient of the first browser information, wherein the first browser information includes bookmark information and user-preferences information;

second computer comprising a second processor and second memory containing a second browser, wherein the second browser is reconfigured according to the received first browser information; and

network connecting the first and second computer and configured to support transmission of the first browser information to the second computer, wherein the transmission of the first browser information comprises sending an electronic mail message containing the first browser information, and the user-preferences information comprises display attributes of the first browser which cause the second browser to be reconfigured according to the display attributes, thereby causing the second browser to resemble first browser on the second computer with respect to said display attributes.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the second memory contains an electronic mail program configured to receive the first browser information.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the first browser information comprises at least one of favorites information and accessed network addresses information.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the second computer is configured to generate second browser information in response to user commands input to the second computer and wherein the second browser information is sent to the first browser program via the network and is utilized to reconfigure the first browser program.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the second browser information comprises at least one of favorites information and accessed network addresses information.