Patent ID: 7475352

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for reserving space within a browser, comprising: subclassing the browser, wherein subclassing comprises the steps of allowing a controlling application to intercept messages that are sent to and from the browser, and permitting the controlling application to modify the intercepted messages in order to control the browser; receiving at least one request from a component for space within the browser, wherein the space requested is utilized for at least one browser pane for displaying information, and wherein the at least one request includes at least one input variable selected from a list comprising: information that describes a region of the browser in which the component requests to have its browser pane located, information that describes a position of the at least one browser pane relative to other browser panes, and a callback interface that permits the component to receive events from the controlling application; creating one or more browser panes within the browser corresponding to the request for space; and returning a handle for each of the one or more created browser panes, wherein the handle permits the component to customize and manipulate the one or more created browser panes.