Method and apparatus for sharing concurrent ad hoc web content between users visiting the same web pages
A method and apparatus are provided for sharing concurrent ad hoc Web content between users visiting the same Web domain, sub-domain, section or page. In one example, the method includes associating a user with a current uniform resource locator and Web domain, sub-domain, section or page being browsed by parsing the current uniform resource locator of the current Web page, creating a Web content sharing group by identifying one or more other users with whom the user would like to share, saving current uniform resource locators of pages being browsed calculating a status of the Web content sharing group by determining if any users in the Web content sharing group are currently browsing on a same Web domain, sub-domain, section or page as the user, and communicating the status of the Web content sharing group with a front-end device.
1. A method comprising:
receiving a first webpage location corresponding to a first webpage on a first website being browsed by a first user;
receiving an identifier to a content sharing group associated with the first user, the content sharing group identifying a plurality of users associated with the first user;
determining, by a computer, a status of a second user of the content sharing group relative to the first user, the status indicating whether the second user is online and browsing the first website, whether the second user is online and browsing a second website, and whether the second user is offline and not browsing a webpage if the second user is not browsing a website;
displaying the status of the second user to the first user;
receiving, from the first user, a selection corresponding to the second user; and
displaying a webpage being browsed by the second user to the first user if the status of the second user indicates that the second user is online and browsing either the first or second website.
2. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying, to the first user, if the second user is online and browsing a webpage on the second website, a location of the webpage being browsed by the second user, the location comprises a universal resource locator (URL) of the webpage on the second website being browsed by the second user.
3. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the displaying of the status of the second user to the first user comprises visually displaying the status of the second user such that a particular color represents a particular status of the second user.
4. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein receiving the identifier to the content sharing group associated with the first user comprises receiving email contacts of the first user to identify the content sharing group associated with the first user.
5. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the status further indicates, if the second user is online and browsing the first website, whether the second user is browsing the first webpage being browsed by the first user or a second webpage on the first website.
6. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the first user, a selection corresponding to the second user; and
displaying, to the first user, an archive of webpages previously browsed by the second user.
7. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the first user, a selection corresponding to the second user; and
displaying, to the first user, the webpage being browsed by the second user.
8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly storing computer program instructions capable of being executed by a computer processor, the computer program instructions defining code for:
receiving a first webpage location corresponding to a first webpage on a first website being browsed by a first user;
receiving and identifier to a content sharing group associated with the first user, the content sharing group identifying a plurality of users associated with the first user;
determining a status of a second user of the content sharing group relative to the first user, the status indicating whether the second user is online and browsing the first website, whether the second user is online and browsing a second website, and whether the second user is offline and not browsing a webpage if the second user is not browsing a website;
displaying the status of the second user to the first user;
receiving, from the first user, a selection corresponding to the second user; and
displaying a webpage being browsed by the second user to the first user if the status of the second user indicates that the second user is online and browsing either the first or second website.
9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the computer program instructions further defining code for:
displaying, to the first user, if the second user is online and browsing a webpage on the second website, a location of the webpage being browsed by the second user, the location comprises a universal resource locator (URL) of the webpage on the second website being browsed by the second user.
10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the displaying of the status of the second user to the first user comprises visually displaying the status of the second user such that a particular color represents a particular status of the second user.
11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 8 , wherein receiving the identifier to the content sharing group associated with the first user comprises receiving email contacts of the first user to identify the content sharing group associated with the first user.
12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the status further indicates, if the second user is online and browsing the first website, whether the second user is browsing the first webpage being browsed by the first user or a second webpage on the first website.
13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the computer program instructions further defining code for:
receiving, from the first user, a selection corresponding to the second user; and
displaying, to the first user, an archive of webpages previously browsed by the second user.
14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the computer program instructions further defining code for:
receiving, from the first user, a selection corresponding to the second user; and
displaying, to the first user, the webpage being browsed by the second user.
15. An apparatus comprising:
a processor;
a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising:
receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving an identifier to a first webpage location corresponding to a first webpage on a first website being browsed by a first user;
further receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving a content sharing group associated with the first user, the content sharing group identifying a plurality of users associated with the first user;
determining logic executed by the processor for determining a status of a second user of the content sharing group relative to the first user, the status indicating whether the second user is online and browsing the first website, whether the second user is online and browsing a second website, and whether the second user is offline and not browsing a webpage if the second user is not browsing a website;
displaying logic executed by the processor for displaying the status of the second user to the first user;
still further receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving, from the first user, a selection corresponding to the second user; and
further displaying logic executed by the processor for displaying a webpage being browsed by the second user to the first user if the status of the second user indicates that the second user is online and browsing either the first or second website.
16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the program logic further comprising:
still further displaying logic executed by the processor for displaying, to the first user, if the second user is online and browsing a webpage on the second website, a location of the webpage being browsed by the second user, the location comprises a universal resource locator (URL) of the webpage on the second website being browsed by the second user.
17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein receiving the identifier to the content sharing group associated with the first user comprises receiving email contacts of the first user to identify the content sharing group associated with the first user.
18. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the status further indicates, if the second user is online and browsing the first website, whether the second user is browsing the first webpage being browsed by the first user or a second webpage on the first website.
19. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the program logic further comprising:
another receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving, from the first user, a selection corresponding to the second user; and
another displaying logic executed by the processor for displaying, to the first user, an archive of webpages previously browsed by the second user.
20. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the displaying of the status of the second user to the first user comprises visually displaying the status of the second user such that a particular color represents a particular status of the second user.