Organizing a browser environment

• US 8,191,007 B1
• Filed: 10/07/2011
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Veloz, Miguel Angel III
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hassan, Rashedul
• Application Number:
  US13/269,456
• Time in Patent Office: 235 Days
• Field of Search: 715/777, 715/776, 715/764, 715/234, 715/810, 715/842
• US Class Current: 715/777
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

Methods, computer-readable storage mediums encoded with computer programs executed by one or more processors, and systems, for organizing browser windows are disclosed. A selection of one or more tabs of a plurality of tabs arranged on one or more windows of a browser may be received, wherein each of the plurality of tabs corresponds to a web page. The tabs may be grouped based on the selection. The grouped tabs may be arranged on a grouped window of the browser. The grouped window comprising the grouped tabs may be tagged with an identifier that differentiates the grouped window from a remaining one or more windows of the browser not associated with the grouped tabs.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a selection of one or more tabs of a plurality of tabs arranged on one or more windows of a browser, wherein each of the plurality of tabs corresponds to a web page;

determining, based on the selection, a first grouping of a plurality of tabs, wherein the first grouping comprises the one or more tabs of the selection;

arranging the one or more tabs of the first grouping on a grouped window of the browser, wherein the grouped window comprises a plurality of tabs consisting of only one grouping;

determining an identifier that identifies the grouped window, wherein the identifier differentiates the grouped window from a remaining one or more windows of the browser not associated with the first grouping;

tagging the grouped window based on the identifier; and

providing the grouped window tagged with the identifier capable of being used in a web page or another browser window, wherein the grouped window, including the selected one or more tabs, opens responsive to an open command.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the tagging comprises:

receiving a plurality of selections, including a first selection and a second selection, wherein each of the plurality of selections is of one or more tabs of the plurality of tabs;

tagging a first grouped window of the browser, including one or more of the plurality of tabs associated with the first selection, based on a first identifier; and

tagging a second grouped window of the browser, including one or more of the plurality of tabs associated with the second selection, based on a second identifier.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the grouped window is one of the one or more browser windows.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the grouped window is a new browser window.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining the identifier comprises receiving the identifier from a user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining the identifier comprises determining that the identifier comprises at least one of text and an icon that represents the first grouping.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the identifier identifying the grouped window when presenting two or more of the windows of the browser, including the grouped window.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a representation of the grouped window tagged with the identifier in a second window of the browser, wherein the grouped window, including the selected one or more tabs, opens responsive to an open command associated with the representation.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the tagging comprises:

determining that the identifier exceeds a maximum identifier size;

determining a condensed identifier based on the identifier, wherein the condensed identifier does not exceed the maximum identifier size; and

tagging the first browser window with the condensed identifier.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the tagging comprises tagging each of the one or more tabs of the first window based on the identifier.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an open command, as submitted by a first user, associated with a representation of the tagged grouped window as shared on a web page by a second user; and

providing to the first user, responsive to the open command, the grouped window including the one or more tabs of the selection.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the providing, comprises determining that the first user is authorized by the second user to access the tagged grouped window.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second selection of a second tab, wherein the second tab is arranged on a second window of the browser, wherein the grouped window is distinct from the second window;

determining, based on the second selection, that the second tab is associated with the first grouping; and

moving the second tab to the grouped window, wherein the second tab is arranged with the one or more tabs of the grouped window.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining an identifier comprises determining the identifier based on a content of each of the web pages corresponding to the one or more tabs of the selection.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the tagging comprises tagging each of the web pages corresponding to the one or more tabs of the grouped window based on the identifier.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving an open command to open one of the tagged web pages in a new tab arranged on one of the browser windows; and

arranging the tagged web page on the grouped window based on the tagging.

17. A computer readable storage medium having code stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to arrange one or more tabs of a browser, corresponding to one or more web pages, into groupings tagged with identifiers that differentiate a first grouping from a second grouping, the code comprising:

a selection tool configured to allow a user to select at least one of one or more tabs and one or more web pages corresponding to the one or more tabs for arrangement into one or more groupings;

an identifier module configured to determine an identifier for each of the one or more groupings, wherein the identifier differentiates the first grouping from a second grouping;

a tagging engine configured to tag the selections of each grouping based on the identifier; and

a positioner configured to determine that a first selection has been tagged with a first identifier corresponding to a first grouping, and arrange the first selection in a grouped window tagged with the first identifier and corresponding to the first grouping, wherein the grouped window comprises a plurality of tabs consisting of only one grouping;

wherein the grouped window is provided tagged with the identifier and is capable of being used in a web page or another browser window, wherein the grouped window, including the selected one or more tabs, opens responsive to an open command.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

the tagging engine is further configured to tag the selections with metadata not visible to the user; and

the positioner is further configured to arrange the selections based on the metadata.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

a sharing engine configured to allow a first user to set permissions for sharing the first grouping with one or more other users.

20. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a selection of one or more tabs of a plurality of tabs arranged on one or more browser windows of a browser, wherein each of the plurality of tabs corresponds to a web page;

determining, based on the selection, a first grouping of a plurality of tabs, wherein the first grouping comprises the one or more tabs of the selection;

arranging the one or more tabs of the first grouping on a grouped

window of the browser, wherein the grouped window comprises a plurality of tabs consisting of only one grouping;

determining an identifier that identifies the grouped window, wherein the identifier differentiates the grouped window from a remaining one or more browser windows not associated with the first grouping;

tagging the grouped window based on the identifier; and

providing the grouped window tagged with the identifier capable of being used in a web page or another browser window, wherein the grouped window, including the selected one or more tabs, opens responsive to an open command.