Co-browsing Social Viewport Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Web browsing remains a solitary activity as users lack an efficient way to browse the Internet together and share thoughts about Web pages, with existing co-browse methods being difficult to use, causing confusion, and failing to enable real-time visual communication.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for visual social communication through co-browsing, where users connect to a social session Web server using Web browsers loaded with social session code, enabling synchronized display of Web content and allowing social changes like drawing or text annotations on a transparent overlay, transmitted to other browsers for simultaneous viewing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing co-browse methods are used, then users can browse Web pages together, but the user experience becomes difficult and confusing due to lack of synchronization
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the co-browsing experience into distinct functional components: a control panel for managing session state, viewports for displaying synchronized content, and annotation layers for collaborative markup. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system reliability and ease of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback mechanisms where each user's browser receives real-time updates about other users' actions, viewport positions, and annotation states. This feedback loop ensures all participants maintain synchronized views and can respond to changes dynamically, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and synchronization reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If Web conferencing systems are used, then group communication is enabled, but the system becomes autocratic with a single controller
Solution Approach 1:
Each participant's browser is equipped with full functionality to initiate navigation, create annotations, and control the session state. The control panel and annotation tools are universally available to all users rather than being restricted to a single controller, enabling democratic multi-functionality while maintaining system versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having a central controller manage the session, the system inverts the control structure by allowing each participant to independently control their own viewport and annotations while automatically synchronizing with others. This inversion eliminates the autocratic structure while maintaining effective group communication capability.
3Loss of information
If digital annotation systems are used, then annotations can be created and stored, but real-time co-browsing and communication are not enabled
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous real-time communication channels that allow annotations to be created, transmitted, and displayed across all browsers as they are being made. This continuous action enables simultaneous annotation creation and sharing, eliminating the delay inherent in store-and-retrieve systems while preserving all annotation information.
Solution Approach 2:
The server acts as an intermediary that receives annotations from any participant, stores them temporarily, and redistributes them to all other participants in real-time. This intermediary mechanism enables both annotation retention and real-time collaboration by mediating the continuous flow of annotation data between all users.
4Device complexity
If ink annotations are transmitted after stroke completion, then data transmission is simplified, but simultaneous display on multiple browsers is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of transmitting annotations only after complete stroke formation, the system implements periodic transmission during the drawing process. Annotation data is segmented and transmitted at regular intervals or at key stroke events, allowing progressive rendering on remote browsers while maintaining simple data transmission protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary transmission of annotation data points as they are generated, rather than waiting for complete stroke formation. This preliminary action allows remote browsers to begin rendering annotations before the drawing is complete, achieving simultaneous display while keeping transmission complexity manageable through incremental data delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for facilitating visual social communication through co-browsing is provided. A social session is established and includes a plurality of Web browsers. Each Web browser is loaded with social session code, which displays a social viewport. Substantially similar portions of Web content are synchronously displayed in the social viewport of each Web browser. A social change is displayed in the social viewport of one such Web browser. The social change is partitioned into at least one social change segment Each social change segment is transmitted to each other of the Web browsers. Each social change segment is received and displayed in the other Web browsers, such that the social change is reproduced smoothly in the Web browsers as the social change is progressively created.