System and method for synchronizing settings and state information for a browser component

• US 8,621,091 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Akalin, Frederick Ziya Ramos, Kalman, Benjamin Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): COULTER, KENNETH R
• Application Number:
  US13/360,606
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/228, 709220-222
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for synchronizing settings and state information for a browser component across multiple computing environments. Settings and state information may be stored for a web application in a storage associated with a user account. An API receives updated state information for the browser component from a first web browser associated with the user account and sends a signal to a second web browser associated with the user account that the stored settings and state information was updated. The second web browser may then send a request to the API for the updated information, the API, in response, propagate the updated information to the second web browser.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for synchronizing information related to a browser component across multiple computing environments, the method comprising:

storing state information for a browser component in a remote storage associated with a user account;

receiving updated state information from a first instance of the browser component operating in connection with a web browser and the user account;

notifying the second instance that the stored state information was updated;

receiving a request from the second instance of the browser component for the updated state information; and

propagating, from the remote storage, the updated state information to the second instance of the browser component, the first instance and the second instance operating during one or more overlapping periods, the updated state information being propagated subsequent to an initiation of the first instance, and at periodic time intervals during the one or more overlapping periods.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request from the second instance of the browser component is received periodically.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request from the second instance of the browser component is received on the initiation of the second instance of the browser component.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of propagating includes propagating state information made available at the storage after the initiation of the second instance.

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

propagating state information received from the second instance of the browser component to a third instance of the browser component, the third instance of the browser component initiated subsequent to the second instance of the browser component.

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

confirming that the second instance of the browsing component is operating in connection with a browsing session authenticated to the user account before propagating the updated state information.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein storing state information for the browser component includes storing setting information related to the browser component, receiving updated state information from the first instance of the browser component includes receiving updated setting information related to the first instance of the browser component, and propagating the updated state information to the second instance of the browser component includes propagating the updated setting information to the second instance of the browser component.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first instance of the browser component is operating in connection with a first instance of the web browser, and wherein the second instance of the browser component is operating in connection with a second instance of the web browser.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the browser component operating in connection with the user account includes a browsing session being authenticated to the user account, and wherein the first instance of the browser component is operating in connection with the browsing session.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first instance of the browser component and the second instance of the browser component are operating at the same time.

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

monitoring a bandwidth related to the propagating of the updated state information; and

throttling down bandwidth availability on a determination that a number of changes made to the state information over a predetermined period exceeds a predetermined threshold.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the updated state information includes configuration information related to the first instance.

13. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, including server instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

store state information for a browser component in a storage remote from a client device, the storage associated with a user account;

receive updated state information from a first instance of the browser component operating on a first device and in connection with the user account; and

send a signal to a second instance of the browser component related to the updating of the stored state information;

receive a request from the second instance for the updated state information; and

send the updated state information to a second instance of the browser component operating on a second device, the first instance and the second instance operating during one or more overlapping periods, the updated state information being propagated subsequent to an initiation of the first instance, and at periodic time intervals during the one or more overlapping periods.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the server instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

receive new state information from the first instance after the initiation of the second instance; and

send the new state information to the second instance.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the server instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

monitor a bandwidth related to the sending of the updated state information; and

throttle down bandwidth availability on a determination that a number of changes related to the state information made over a predetermined period exceeds a predetermined threshold.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the server instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

confirm that the second instance of the browsing component is operating in connection with a browsing session authenticated to the user account before the updated state information is sent.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the state information includes configuration information related to the first instance of the browser component.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the request from the second instance is received periodically.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable media including instructions that, when executed, perform a method for synchronizing information related to a browser component across multiple computing environments, the method comprising:

storing state information for a browser component in a remote storage associated with a user account;

receiving updated state information from a first instance of the browser component operating in connection with a web browser and the user account;

confirming that a subsequent instance of the browsing component is operating in connection with a browsing session authenticated to the user account, the first instance and the subsequent instance operating during one or more overlapping periods;

notifying the subsequent instance that the stored state information was updated;

receiving a request from the subsequent instance for the updated state information; and

propagating, from the remote storage, the updated state information to the subsequent instance of the browser component, at periodic time intervals during the one or more overlapping periods.

20. The machine-readable media of claim 19, the method further comprising:

receiving new state information from the first instance after the initiation of the subsequent instance; and

propagating the new state information to the subsequent instance.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 19, wherein the request from the subsequent instance is received periodically.

22. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 19, wherein the updated state information includes configuration information related to the first instance.