Method, web browser and system for co-browsing online content
A method, web browser, and system for co-browsing online content is disclosed. Embodiments enable a co-browsing session between web browsers running on different computer systems using a respective peer proxy server on each computer system. A primary peer proxy server running on a first computer system communicates directly with a web server, while communications from other peer proxy servers running on other computer systems are directed through the primary peer proxy server. The primary peer proxy server accesses online content from the web server for presentation using a web browser running on the first computer system, where the online content is presented simultaneously with modified online content presented using web browsers running on the other computer systems. The online content and the modified online content may be synchronized based upon a web server response associated with a browser event communicated to the web server.
1. A method of co-browsing online content, said method comprising:
activating a first peer proxy server on a first computer system and a second peer proxy server on a second computer system, wherein said first computer system is disposed remotely from said second computer system, wherein said first computer system is operable to present online content using a first web browser running on said first computer system;
generating modified online content for presentation by a second web browser running on said second computer system, wherein said modified online content is further operable to route browser events associated with said second web browser through said first peer proxy server;
communicating a browser event from said second peer proxy server to a web server via said first peer proxy server; and
synchronizing said first and second web browsers based on a web server response from said web server generated in response to said browser event, wherein said synchronizing further comprises updating said online content and said modified online content based upon said web server response.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein collaboration between said first and second peer proxy servers is transparent to said web server, said first web browser and said second web browser.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first peer proxy server is operable within said first web browser, and wherein said second peer proxy server is operable within said second web browser.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first peer proxy server is operable within a first process separate from said first web browser, and wherein said second peer proxy server is operable within a second process separate from said second web browser.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said activating said first and second peer proxy servers is in response to an activation of said first web browser.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
responsive to an activation of said first peer proxy server, establishing a co-browsing session between said first and second computer systems.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said user-initiated operation comprises a user selection of a user associated with said second web browser for joining a co-browsing session.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said generating said modified online content further comprises generating said modified online content with restricted access to a portion of said online content associated with a user-initiated access restriction.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
activating a third peer proxy server on a third computer system;
communicating said modified online to said third peer proxy server for presentation using a third web browser during presentation of said online content by said first web browser; and
communicating said peer proxy response to said third peer proxy server for synchronizing said modified online content with said online content based upon said web server response.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
activating a third peer proxy server on a third computer system;
communicating said modified online to said third peer proxy server via said second peer proxy server for presentation using a third web browser during presentation of said online content by said first web browser; and
communicating said peer proxy response to said third peer proxy server via said second peer proxy server for synchronizing said modified online content with said online content based upon said web server response.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method of co-browsing online content, said method comprising:
activating a first peer proxy server on a first computer system and a second peer proxy server on a second computer system, wherein said first computer system is disposed remotely from said second computer system, wherein said first computer system is operable to present online content using a first web browser running on said first computer system;
generating modified online content for presentation by a second web browser running on said second computer system, wherein said modified online content is further operable to route browser events associated with said second web browser through said first peer proxy server;
communicating a browser event from said second peer proxy server to a web server via said first peer proxy server; and
synchronizing said first and second web browsers based on a web server response from said web server generated in response to said browser event, wherein said synchronizing further comprises updating said online content and said modified online content based upon said web server response.
12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein collaboration between said first and second peer proxy servers is transparent to said web server, said first web browser and said second web browser.
13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein said first peer proxy server is operable within said first web browser, and wherein said second peer proxy server is operable within said second web browser.
14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein said first peer proxy server is operable within a first process separate from said first web browser, and wherein said second peer proxy server is operable within a second process separate from said second web browser.
15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein said activating said first and second peer proxy servers is in response to an activation of said first web browser.
16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein said method further comprises:
responsive to an activation of said first peer proxy server, establishing a co-browsing session between said first and second computer systems.
17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein said user-initiated operation comprises a user selection of a user associated with said second web browser for joining a co-browsing session.
18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein said generating said modified online content further comprises generating said modified online content with restricted access to a portion of said online content associated with a user-initiated access restriction.
19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein said method further comprises:
activating a third peer proxy server on a third computer system;
communicating said modified online to said third peer proxy server for presentation using a third web browser during presentation of said online content by said first web browser; and
communicating said peer proxy response to said third peer proxy server for synchronizing said modified online content with said online content based upon said web server response.
20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein said method further comprises:
activating a third peer proxy server on a third computer system;
communicating said modified online to said third peer proxy server via said second peer proxy server for presentation using a third web browser during presentation of said online content by said first web browser; and
communicating said peer proxy response to said third peer proxy server via said second peer proxy server for synchronizing said modified online content with said online content based upon said web server response.
21. A system comprising a processor and a memory, wherein said memory comprises instructions that when executed by said system implement a method of co-browsing online content, said method comprising:
activating a first peer proxy server on a first computer system and a second peer proxy server on a second computer system, wherein said first computer system is disposed remotely from said second computer system, wherein said first computer system is operable to present online content using a first web browser running on said first computer system;
generating modified online content for presentation by a second web browser running on said second computer system, wherein said modified online content is further operable to route browser events associated with said second web browser through said first peer proxy server;
communicating a browser event from said second peer proxy server to a web server via said first peer proxy server; and
synchronizing said first and second web browsers based on a web server response from said web server generated in response to said browser event, wherein said synchronizing further comprises updating said online content and said modified online content based upon said web server response.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein collaboration between said first and second peer proxy servers is transparent to said web server, said first web browser and said second web browser.
23. The system of claim 21 , wherein said first peer proxy server is operable within said first web browser, and wherein said second peer proxy server is operable within said second web browser.
24. The system of claim 21 , wherein said first peer proxy server is operable within a first process separate from said first web browser, and wherein said second peer proxy server is operable within a second process separate from said second web browser.
25. The system of claim 21 , wherein said activating said first and second peer proxy servers is in response to an activation of said first web browser.
26. The system of claim 21 , wherein said method further comprises:
responsive to an activation of said first peer proxy server, establishing a co-browsing session between said first and second computer systems.
27. The system of claim 26 , wherein said user-initiated operation comprises a user selection of a user associated with said second web browser for joining a co-browsing session.
28. The system of claim 21 , wherein said generating said modified online content further comprises generating said modified online content with restricted access to a portion of said online content associated with a user-initiated access restriction.
29. The system of claim 21 , wherein said method further comprises:
activating a third peer proxy server on a third computer system;
communicating said modified online to said third peer proxy server for presentation using a third web browser during presentation of said online content by said first web browser; and
communicating said peer proxy response to said third peer proxy server for synchronizing said modified online content with said online content based upon said web server response.
30. The system of claim 21 , wherein said method further comprises:
activating a third peer proxy server on a third computer system;
communicating said modified online to said third peer proxy server via said second peer proxy server for presentation using a third web browser during presentation of said online content by said first web browser; and
communicating said peer proxy response to said third peer proxy server via said second peer proxy server for synchronizing said modified online content with said online content based upon said web server response.