Method and apparatus for web page co-browsing
A method and apparatus for extracting information from a web page on a standard end user browser without plug-ins, includes the steps of dynamically creating an element on a web page being viewed by an end user, copying at least a portion of the contents of the web page or form field values, and uploading the data to a target domain, wherein the target domain may be different from the domain of the web page. In co-browsing applications, the data uploaded is used to create a copy of the website for display to a third party.
1. A computerized method performed by an end user computer for extracting data from a web page downloaded by an end user or entered by the end user after page load by text or action at the end user computer comprising the steps of:
dynamically creating an element on the web page being viewed by a user at the end user computer;
determining whether the web page is session based;
copying at least a portion of the contents of the web page into the element or the element's src parameter; and
uploading the copied contents to a third party;
wherein the entire contents of the web page are copied if the web page is session based.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dynamically creating and using steps are implemented using JavaScript commands.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the element is an iframe.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the data is uploaded using a POST or a GET.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
using the data to create a copy of the web page being viewed by the user for display to a third party.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of asking the user's permission before performing at least one of the dynamically creating and using steps.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the element is hidden.
8. A computerized method performed by an end user computer for extracting data from a web page downloaded by an end user or entered by the end user after page load by text or action at the end user computer comprising the steps of:
dynamically creating an element on the web page being viewed by a user at the end user computer;
determining whether the web page is session based;
copying at least a portion of the contents of the web page into the element or the element's src parameter; and
uploading the copied contents to a third party;
wherein only portions of the web page that can be modified by a user are copied if the web page is not session based.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the dynamically creating and using steps are implemented using JavaScript commands.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the element is an iframe.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the data is uploaded using a POST or a GET.
12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
using the data to create a copy of the web page being viewed by the user for display to a third party.
13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step of asking the user's permission before performing at least one of the dynamically creating and using steps.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the element is hidden.
15. An end user system for extracting data from a web page, the data being downloaded by an end user or entered by the end user after page load by text or action at the end user system comprising:
a communications port; and
a processor connected to the communications port and configured to perform the steps of
dynamically creating an element on the web page being viewed by a user at the end user computer;
determining whether the web page is session based;
copying at least a portion of the contents of the web page into the element or the element's src parameter; and
uploading the copied contents to a third party;
wherein the entire contents of the web page are copied if the web page is session based.
16. An end user system for extracting data from a web page, the data being downloaded by an end user or entered by the end user after page load by text or action at the end user system comprising:
a communications port; and
a processor connected to the communications port and configured to perform the steps of
dynamically creating an element on the web page being viewed by a user at the end user computer;
determining whether the web page is session based;
copying at least a portion of the contents of the web page into the element or the element's src parameter; and
uploading the copied contents to a third party;
wherein only portions of the web page that can be modified by a user are copied if the web page is not session based.