Patent ID: 8849914

Claim:
A method for collaborative internet browsing by a first user associated with a first computer comprising a first display and a first browser comprising a first open browser instance, and a second user associated with a second computer comprising a second display and a second browser comprising a second open browser instance, the method comprising the steps of: providing a website accessible by the first and second browsers, the website comprising one or more web pages, each web page corresponding to a web address; establishing a first connection between the first computer and the website comprising a first session having a first identifier and causing a web page to load in the first browser instance; establishing a second connection between the second computer and the website comprising a second session having a second identifier different from the first identifier and causing a web page to load in the second browser instance; establishing an association between the first identifier and the second identifier and generating a co-browse identifier; without requiring installation or downloading of any collaboration-enabling executable software program by either the first or second computer or requiring use of an additional browser instance or frame to transmit or receive changes in the first or second browser instances, establishing a collaboration manager that associates the first and second browser instances and communicates changes or events originating in the first browser instance to the second browser instance; causing the second browser instance to notify the collaboration manager of changes or events originating in the second browser instance; causing the first browser instance to communicate with the collaboration manager in order to receive changes or events originating in the second browser instance; and causing the first browser instance to synchronize to the second browser instance to mirror the changes or events originating in the second browser instance.