Co-browsing between one or more operators and one or more visitors

Inventors

Paniagua, Carlos • Nomme, Madis • Rodas, David • Sharifi, Mehrbod • Dipietro, Justin • Michaeli, Daniel

Assignees

Glia Technologies Inc

Abstract

Apparatuses, computer readable mediums, and methods of co-browsing between a visitor and an operator are disclosed. The method may include sending the first UI event to the visitor, receiving from the visitor a first webpage data update indicating a first update to the active tab based on the first UI event, and sending the first webpage data update to the operator, on a condition of receiving a first user interface (UI) event regarding an active tab from the operator. The method may include sending the second webpage data update to the operator indicating the update to the active tab, on a condition of receiving a second webpage data update from the visitor indicating a second update to the active tab. If updates are received from both the visitor and operator a precedence may be used to determine which to process. Updates may be used to determine an active tab.

Core Innovation

The invention provides co-browsing a webpage between a visitor to the webpage and an operator of the webpage using a first peer device and a second peer device. A first user interface event regarding any element of an active tab is received from the second peer device, and the first web browsing application changes webpage data of the webpage based on the first user interface event. The webpage data comprises a document object model of the webpage.

After applying the user interface event, the first peer device sends webpage data updates to the second peer device. Each webpage data update indicates a difference in the webpage data before and after the first user interface event, and a subsequent update indicates a difference between the first webpage update and a second user interface event. The updates are adapted to a format compatible with the second web browsing application so that the second web browsing application updates the active tab based on the received differences.

The invention further supports navigation between tabs by sending an additional webpage data update indicating an update to a new tab in the first web browsing application. This third webpage data update is adapted to a format compatible with the second web browsing application, which changes the active tab to the new tab. Optional refinements include monitoring or determining the active tab from monitored updates, handling near-simultaneous competing user interface events with visitor or operator precedence, and storing webpage updates for later replay.

Claims Coverage

Two independent claims are present. They cover a method and a corresponding computer system for multi-tab co-browsing by exchanging user interface events and incremental webpage data updates that represent document object model differences, including active-tab updates and new-tab transitions, with optional refinements in dependent claims.

The independent claims share the same core approach: apply received user interface events to webpage data comprising a document object model, transmit adapted webpage data updates that indicate differences in document object model state, and ensure the second web browsing application tracks both active-tab changes and new-tab transitions through the received updates.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications