Method and system for co-browsing in a B2C architecture through co-browsing functionality embedded in content of a content provider as initiated by a guest to a co-browse session

• US 10,038,747 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2014
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Egain Corporation (eGain Communications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Egain Corporation (eGain Communications Corporation)
• Inventors: Roy, Ashutsosh, Hahn, Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dustin
• Application Number:
  US14/475,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20150067060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 709204, 709206, 715738, 715748, 715753
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions

Abstract

A method includes establishing a first communication session between a first web browser associated with a user and a content provider over a network to deliver content including embedded co-browsing functionality. A second communication session is established between a second device and a co-browse communication server to initiate a co-browse session having a session identifier, wherein the second device is a guest. A user identifier and the session identifier is delivered from the second device to the content provider. The co-browsing functionality is exposed with an icon, such that when the icon is activated at the first device, the first web browser is joined into the co-browse session. The co-browse session is established between the first web browser as a host and a second web browser, such that content at the first web browser is delivered to the second web browser via the co-browse communication server through the co-browse session.

Claims

1. A method for co-browsing, comprising:

establishing a first communication session between a first web browser of first device and a content provider over a network to deliver content to said first web browser from said content provider, wherein said first device is associated with a first user, wherein said content comprises embedded co-browsing functionality to host a co-browse session;

establishing a second communication session between a second device and a co-browse communication server to initiate a co-browse session, wherein said co-browse session comprises a co-browse session identifier, priority information, and rules,

wherein said second device acts as a guest in said co-browse session;

sending a user identifier associated with said first user and said co-browse session identifier from said second device to said content provider;

identifying the first communication session by the content provider based on the previously received user identifier;

exposing said co-browsing functionality in said content delivered to said first web browser with an icon comprising said co-browse session identifier, such that when said icon is activated at said first device, said first web browser is joined into said co-browse session; and

establishing said co-browse session between said first web browser of said first device as a host and a second web browser of said second device, such that said content at said first web browser is delivered to said second web browser of said second device via said co-browse communication server through said co-browse session by said embedded co-browsing functionality delivered to said first web browser in said content,

wherein said second device is insulated from receiving direct communication from said content provider, and

wherein said co-browse session allows the host and the guest to display online content from said content provider subject to modifications to a display of said second device for co-browsing depending on said priority information and said rules as defined for the host or the guest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing said co-browse session further comprises:

determining that said icon is activated at said first device;

establishing a third communication session between said first web browser and said co-browse communication server;

delivering said co-browse session identifier from said first web browser to said co-browse communication server in a request to join said co-browse session; and

joining said first web browser into said co-browse session based on said co-browse session identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said exposing said co-browsing functionality further comprises:

identifying said first communication session at said content provider based on said user identifier;

accessing said content; and

enabling said co-browsing functionality in said content.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

setting a flag that enables said co-browse functionality;

generating a new page for said content that is enabled with said co-browse functionality, wherein said new page comprises said icon; and

delivering said new page of said content to said first web browser.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a fourth communication session between said first user and a second user of said second device; and

communicating said user identifier of said first user to said second user through said fourth communication session.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said fourth communication session comprises voice communication.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing a second communication session further comprises:

sending said co-browse session identifier from said co-browse communication server to said second web browser.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing a first communication session further comprises:

authenticating said first user in a log-in process; and

associating said first user with said user identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

joining said second web browser into said co-browse session based on said co-browse session identifier.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said co-browse functionality in said content provides for:

accessing a document object model (DOM) of said content delivered to said first web browser; and

sending said DOM to said co-browse communication server for delivery to said second web browser.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

recognizing changes to said DOM in an updated DOM at one of said first and second web browsers; and

sending said updated DOM to said co-browse communication server for delivery to the other of said first and second web browsers.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a rules engine at said first device to filter sensitive information, such that said sensitive information is not delivered to said co-browse communication server.

13. A system for co-browsing, comprising:

a first device comprising a first web browser configured for communicating over a network, wherein said first device is associated with a first user;

a content provider providing content comprising embedded co-browsing functionality;

a first communication session between said first web browser of said first device and said content provider over said network configured to deliver content to said first web browser from said content provider;

a second device comprising a second web browser for communicating over said network;

a co-browse communication server (CS) configured to provide a co-browse session comprising a co-browse session identifier, priority information, and rules;

a second communication session between said second device and said co-browse communication server to initiate said co-browse session, wherein said second device acts as a guest in said co-browse session,

wherein the first communication session is identified by the content provider based on the previously received user identifier; and

wherein said co-browse session is established between said first web browser of said first device as a host and a second web browser of said second device through said embedded co-browsing functionality, such that said content at said first web browser is delivered to said second web browser of said second device via said co-browse communication server through said co-browse session by said embedded co-browsing functionality delivered to said first web browser in said content,

wherein said second device is insulated from receiving direct communication from said content provider, and

wherein said co-browse session allows the host and the guest to display online content from said content provider subject to modifications to a display of said second device for co-browsing depending on said priority information and said rules as defined for the host or the guest.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a third communication session between said second device and said content provider for delivering said user identifier and said co-browse session identifier to said content provider;

wherein said co-browsing functionality in said content delivered to said first web browser is exposed with an icon comprising said co-browse session identifier, such that when said icon is activated at said first device, said first web browser is joined into said co-browse session.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said first web browser is configured to deliver said co-browse session identifier to said co-browse communication server in a request to join said co-browse session, and wherein said co-browse communication server is configured to join said first web browser in said co-browse session based on said session identifier.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said content provider is configured to identify said first communication session comprising said content based on said user identifier, and to enable said co-browsing functionality in said content.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a fourth communication session between said first user and a second user of said second device, wherein said fourth communication session is configured for communicating said user identifier to said second user.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein said co-browse communication server is configured to send said co-browse session identifier to said second web browser for purposes of initiating said co-browse session.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a rules engine at said first device configured to filter sensitive information, such that said sensitive information is prevented from being delivered to said co-browse communication server.

20. A method for co-browsing, comprising:

establishing a first communication session between a content provider and a first web browser of a first device over a network, wherein said first device is associated with a first user;

delivering content to said first web browser, wherein said content comprises embedded co-browsing functionality;

receiving a first user identifier, priority information, and rules, associated with said first user and a co-browse session identifier of a co-browse session from a second device, wherein said second device is joined into said co-browse session as a guest;

identifying the first communication session by the content provider based on the previously received user identifier; and

exposing said co-browsing functionality in said content with an icon comprising said co-browse session identifier, such that when said icon is activated at said first device, said first web browser is joined into said co-browse session as a host, wherein when said co-browse session is established between said first web browser and said second web browser through a co-browse communication server said content at said first web browser is delivered to said second web browser via said co-browse communication server by said embedded co-browsing functionality delivered to said first web browser in said content,

wherein said second device is insulated from receiving direct communication from said content provider, and

wherein said co-browse session allows the host and the guest to display online content from said content provider subject to modifications to a display of said second device for co-browsing depending on said priority information and said rules as defined for the host or the guest.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

identifying said first communication session based on said user identifier;

accessing said content; and

enabling said co-browsing functionality in said content.