Synchronizing data across multiple browser tabs or windows

• US 9,417,759 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mopuru, Sandeep Kumar Reddy, Srinivasan, Balaji, Lee, Ivan Shing Yau
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadeese
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Shangao
• Application Number:
  US13/527,308
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 715/203, 715/705, 715/736, 715/738, 715/753, 715/758, 715/760, 715/764, 715/777, 715/792, 715/793, 715/805, 715/806, 715/859
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system for synchronizing data across multiple browser tabs or windows includes a synchronization module and shared synchronization storage. The shared synchronization storage is local storage of the browser and is utilized by a plurality of browser windows, a plurality of tabs or a browser window and tab. The shared synchronization storage is used to store information about notifications and a timestamp as to when that information was retrieved from the notification server. The synchronization module is responsive to requests for updates from the notification client module. The synchronization module accesses the shared synchronization storage to determine whether notification information stored there is current and if so provides that notification information from the shared synchronization storage to the notification client module. If notification information stored locally is not current, the synchronization module cooperates with the notification server to retrieve current notification information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

opening a first browser window, the first browser window including a first browser tab accessing a first application;

requesting unread notification information from a server for the first browser window;

determining a total number of unread notifications for the first application and a second application;

initializing a shared synchronized storage portion of a local storage at a client device with the requested unread notification information and the total number of unread notifications, the shared synchronized storage portion being used by the first browser window and a second browser window;

updating the first browser tab with the total number of unread notifications;

retrieving the requested unread notification information and a timestamp from the local storage at the client device for use in the first browser tab;

determining whether the timestamp is recently updated;

opening the second browser window, the second browser window including a second browser tab accessing the second application;

updating the second browser tab with the total number of unread notifications from the shared synchronized storage portion at the client device if the timestamp was recently updated; and

if the timestamp was not recently updated;

requesting new unread notification information from the server;

storing the new unread notification information and a second timestamp in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device; and

updating the second browser tab with the new unread notification information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unread notification information is a number of unread notifications for a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the timestamp was recently updated if less than 30 seconds have elapsed since the timestamp.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the shared synchronized storage portion is a temporary file stored in the local storage at the client device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein initializing the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device comprises:

storing the requested unread notification information in the local storage at the client device;

assigning the requested unread notification information the timestamp; and

storing the time stamp in the local storage at the client device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an updated user interface showing the requested unread notification information from the server.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

opening a third browser window, the third browser window including a third browser tab accessing a third application;

retrieving the requested unread notification information and the timestamp from the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device;

determining whether the timestamp is recently updated;

updating the third browser tab with the requested unread notification information if the timestamp was recently updated; and

if the timestamp was not recently updated;

requesting additional information from the server;

storing the additional information and a third timestamp in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device; and

updating the third browser tab with the additional information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first browser tab is open as part of a first browser window, and the method further comprises:

opening the second browser window;

retrieving the requested unread notification information and its timestamp from the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device;

determining whether the timestamp is recently updated;

updating the second browser window with the requested unread notification information if the timestamp was recently updated; and

if the timestamp was not recently updated;

requesting additional information from the server;

storing the additional information and a third timestamp in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device; and

updating the second browser window with the additional information.

9. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

open a first browser window, the first browser window including a first browser tab accessing a first application;

request unread notification information from a server for the first browser window;

determine a total number of unread notifications for the first application and a second application;

initialize a shared synchronized storage portion of a local storage at a client device with the requested unread notification information and the total number of unread notifications, the shared synchronized storage portion being used by the first browser window and a second browser window;

update the first browser tab with the total number of unread notifications;

retrieve the requested unread notification information and a timestamp from the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device for use in the first browser tab;

determine whether the timestamp is recently updated;

open the second browser window, the second browser window including a second browser tab accessing the second application;

update the second browser tab with the total number of unread notifications from the shared synchronized storage portion at the client device if the timestamp was recently updated; and

if the timestamp was not recently updated;

request new unread notification information from the server;

store the new unread notification information and a second timestamp in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device; and

update the second browser tab with the new unread notification information.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the unread notification information is a number of unread notifications for a user.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the timestamp was recently updated if less than 30 seconds have elapsed since the timestamp.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the shared synchronized storage portion is a temporary file stored in the local storage at the client device.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer also causes the computer to:

store the requested unread notification information in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device;

assign the requested unread notification information the timestamp; and

store the time stamp in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer causes the computer to provide an updated user interface showing the requested unread notification information from the server.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer causes the computer to:

open a third browser window, the third browser window including a third browser tab accessing a third application;

retrieve the requested unread notification information and the timestamp from the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device;

determine whether the timestamp is recently updated;

update the third browser tab with the requested unread notification information if the timestamp was recently updated; and

if the timestamp was not recently updated;

request additional information from the server;

store the additional information and a third timestamp in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device; and

update the third browser tab with the additional information.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the first browser tab is open as part of a first browser window, and wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer causes the computer to:

open the second browser window;

retrieve the requested unread notification information and its timestamp from the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device;

determine whether the timestamp is recently updated;

update the second browser window with the requested unread notification information if the timestamp was recently updated; and

if the timestamp was not recently updated;

request additional information from the server;

store the additional information and a third timestamp in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device; and

update the second browser window with the additional information.

17. A system comprising:

a processor, and;

a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to;

open a first browser window, the first browser window including a first browser tab accessing a first application;

request unread notification information from a server for the first browser window;

determine a total number of unread notifications for the first application and a second application;

initialize a shared synchronized storage portion of a local storage at a client device with the requested unread notification information and the total number of unread notifications, the shared synchronized storage portion being used by the first browser window and a second browser window;

update the first browser tab with the total number of unread notifications;

retrieve the requested unread notification information and a timestamp from the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device for use in the first browser tab;

determine whether the timestamp is recently updated;

open the second browser window, the second browser window including a second browser tab accessing the second application;

update the second browser tab with the total number of unread notifications from the shared synchronized storage portion at the client device if the timestamp was recently updated; and

if the timestamp was not recently updated;

request new unread notification information from the server;

store the new unread notification information and a second timestamp in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device; and

update the second browser tab with the new unread notification information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the unread notification information is a number of unread notifications for a user.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the timestamp was recently updated if less than 30 seconds have elapsed since the timestamp.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the shared synchronized storage portion is a temporary file stored in the local storage at the client device.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the memory also stores instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

store the requested unread notification information in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device;

assign the requested unread notification information the timestamp; and

store the time stamp in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the memory also stores instructions that, when executed, cause the system to provide an updated user interface showing the requested unread notification information from the server.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the memory also stores instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

open a third browser window, the third browser window including a third browser tab accessing a third application;

retrieve the requested unread notification information and the timestamp from the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device;

determine whether the timestamp is recently updated;

update the third browser tab with the requested unread notification information if the timestamp was recently updated; and

if the timestamp was not recently updated;

request additional information from the server;

store the additional information and a third timestamp in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device; and

update the third browser tab with the additional information.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the first browser tab is open as part of a first browser window, and wherein the memory also stores instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

open the second browser window;

retrieve the requested unread notification information and its timestamp from the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device;

determine whether the timestamp is recently updated;

update the second browser window with the requested unread notification information if the timestamp was recently updated; and

if the timestamp was not recently updated;

request additional information from the server;

store the additional information and a third timestamp in the shared synchronized storage portion of the local storage at the client device; and

update the second browser window with the additional information.