Synchronizing web browsers

• US 8,225,191 B1
• Filed: 11/07/2011
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kalman, Benjamin Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US13/290,776
• Time in Patent Office: 253 Days
• Field of Search: 715/201, 715/203, 715/234
• US Class Current: 715/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing

Abstract

Systems and methods for synchronizing web browsers using synchronization windows are disclosed. A user action performed in a synchronization window, such as a popup window or tab of a web browser, may cause synchronization data to be generated. The synchronization data may be provided to one or more other devices having web browsers and cause the user action to be replicated on the one or more other devices. A synchronization server may be used to coordinate the synchronization process.

Claims

1. A computerized method for synchronizing web browsers comprising:

receiving, at a first electronic device, a request for a synchronization tab in a window of a web browser;

providing the requested synchronization tab to an electronic display, the synchronization tab being configured to display a webpage on the electronic display;

receiving, at the first electronic device, a request for a non-synchronization tab in the window of the web browser;

providing the requested non-synchronization tab to the electronic display;

determining, at the first electronic device, the presence of a DOM event associated with the webpage being displayed in the requested synchronization tab, the presence of the DOM event being determined by an event listener registered on a node in the document object model of the webpage;

generating synchronization data configured to replicate the DOM event in a synchronization tab of a web browser on a second electronic device;

associating the synchronization data with a user profile; and

providing the synchronization data to a synchronization server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization server is configured to provide the synchronization data to the second electronic device in response to receiving the synchronization data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization server is configured to provide the synchronization data to the second electronic device in response to receiving a request for synchronization data from the second electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first electronic device, a configuration for the web browser of the first electronic device, wherein the synchronization data is also configured to replicate the configuration in the web browser on the second electronic device, wherein the configuration comprises at least one of a bookmark, a default language, or a default font.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device comprises a mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an alert to the electronic display based in part on whether the DOM event corresponds to opening a secure webpage in the synchronization tab.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first electronic device, a request to stop synchronizing the synchronization tab in the web browser on the first device.

8. A system for synchronizing web browsers comprising a processing circuit configured to receive a request for a synchronization tab in a window of a web browser and a request for a non-synchronization tab in the window of the web browser, the synchronization tab being configured to display a webpage on the electronic display, wherein the processing circuit is configured to provide the requested synchronization tab and the requested non-synchronization tab to an electronic display, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the presence of a DOM event associated with the webpage being displayed in the requested synchronization tab, the presence of the DOM event being determined by an event listener registered on a node in the document object model of the webpage, wherein the processing circuit is configured to generate synchronization data configured to replicate the DOM event in a synchronization tab of a web browser on a second electronic device, wherein the processing circuit is configured to associate the synchronization data with a user profile, and wherein the processing circuit is configured to provide the synchronization data to a synchronization server.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the synchronization server is configured to provide the synchronization data to the second electronic device in response to receiving the synchronization data.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the synchronization server is configured to provide the synchronization data to the second electronic device in response to receiving a request for synchronization data from the second electronic device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive a configuration for the web browser and to associate the configuration with the user profile, wherein the synchronization data is also configured to replicate the configuration in the web browser on the second electronic device, wherein the configuration comprises at least one of a bookmark, a default language, or a default font.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive a selection of one or more devices to be synchronized, wherein the processing circuit is configured to associate the selection of one or more devices to be synchronized with the user profile, wherein processing circuit is configured to provide the selection of the one or more devices to be synchronized to the synchronization server, and wherein the selection of one or more devices to be synchronized comprises a selection of the second electronic device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is configured to provide an alert to the electronic display based in part on whether the DOM event corresponds to opening a secure webpage in the synchronization tab.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive a request to stop synchronizing the synchronization tab in the web browser.

15. A computer storage medium having instructions stored therein, the instructions being executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for a synchronization tab in a window of a web browser;

providing the requested synchronization tab to an electronic display, the synchronization tab being configured to display a webpage on the electronic display;

receiving a request for a non-synchronization tab in the window of the web browser;

providing the requested non-synchronization tab to the electronic display;

determining the presence of a DOM event associated with the webpage being displayed in the requested synchronization tab, the presence of the DOM event being determined by an event listener registered on a node in the document object model of the webpage;

generating synchronization data configured to replicate the DOM event in a synchronization tab of a web browser on a second electronic device;

associating the synchronization data with a user profile; and

providing the synchronization data to a synchronization server.

16. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the synchronization server is configured to provide the synchronization data to the second electronic device in response to receiving the synchronization data.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the synchronization server is configured to provide the synchronization data to the second electronic device in response to receiving a request for synchronization data from the second electronic device.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a configuration for the web browser of the first electronic device, wherein the synchronization data is also configured to replicate the configuration in the web browser on the second electronic device, wherein the configuration comprises at least one of a bookmark, a default language, or a default font.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the second electronic device comprises a mobile device.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing an alert to the electronic display based in part on whether the DOM event corresponds to opening a secure webpage in the synchronization tab.