Maintaining independent states for multiple web browser instances

Abstract

A method includes receiving a request for a target Web page, the request containing a session identifier (ID) associated with an instance of a Web browser, and determining if the session ID is new or existing. If the session ID is new, the method includes creating a window session object, and initializing the window session object with data defining a state of the instance of the Web browser. If the session ID is existing, the method includes accessing a stored window session object using the session ID, the stored window session object containing data defining a state of the instance of the Web browser, generating the target Web page based on the data, and providing the target Web page to the Web browser.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed by a server having a processor and a memory, the method comprising:
 storing a session object for a first Web browser window, the session object comprising state information for first content of the first Web browser window, the state information defining a configuration of the first content;   receiving a request from a control feature of a second Web browser window, the second Web browser window being different from the first Web browser window;   in response to the request, generating data for the first Web browser window using the state information from the session object, the state information for the first Web browser window being independent of state information for the second Web browser window; and   outputting the data for the first Web browser window to a computing device executing a Web browser to generate the first Web browser window based on the data;   wherein the first Web browser window and the second Web browser window are part of a same hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) session.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data for the first Web browser window is generated by one or more servlets on a Web server, the one or more servlets being mapped to the session object by Web server software that manages the HTTP session. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein storing the session object comprises:
 creating the session object; and   initializing the session object with the state information.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the request is a first request;
 wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a second request containing a session identifier (ID) parameter from the first Web browser window, the second request being received prior to storing the session object; and 
 determining that the session ID parameter is new; and 
   wherein the session object is created in response to determining that the session ID parameter is new, the state information being stored in the session object when the session object is created.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first content comprises a first Web page; and
 wherein the request is received from a URL-encoded element on a second Web page in the second Web browser window, the URL-encoded element comprising the control feature.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 after receiving the request, parsing a session identifier (ID) parameter from the request; and   identifying the session object based on the session ID parameter.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 retrieving the state information from the session object based on the session ID parameter.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first Web browser window or the second Web browser window relate to a device that is monitored over a computer network by a monitoring system. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the server to perform the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A method performed by a server having a processor and a memory, the method comprising:
 storing a session object for a first Web browser display, the session object comprising state information for first content of the first Web browser display, the state information comprising at least one of input to the first content or a configuration of the first content;   receiving a request from a control feature of a second Web browser display, the second Web browser display being different from the first Web browser display;   in response to the request, generating data for the first Web browser display using the state information from the session object, the state information for the first Web browser display being independent of state information for the second Web browser display; and   outputting the data for the first Web browser display to a computing device executing a Web browser to generate the first Web browser display based on the data;   wherein the first Web browser display and the second Web browser display are part of a same hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) session.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the request comprises a session identifier (ID) that is URL-encoded and that is associated with the first Web browser display; and
 wherein the method further comprises using the session ID to identify the session object from among multiple session objects stored in computer memory.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the state information for the first Web browser display is different from state information for the second Web browser display. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the control feature comprises a URL-encoded hyperlink. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein storing the session object comprises:
 creating the session object; and   initializing the session object with the state information.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the request is a first request;
 wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a second request containing a session identifier (ID) parameter from the first Web browser display, the second request being received prior to storing the session object; and 
 determining that the session ID parameter is new; and 
   wherein the session object is created in response to determining the session ID parameter is new, the state information being stored in the session object when the session object is created.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the HTTP session comprises an interaction between the Web browser and a Web server that generates the data for the first Web browser display. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving a request from a control feature of a third Web browser display, the third Web browser display being different from the first Web browser display;   generating data for a fourth Web browser display using the state information from the session object, the fourth Web browser display being different from the first Web browser display; and   outputting the data for the fourth Web browser display to a computing device executing a Web browser to generate the fourth Web browser display based on the data for the fourth Web browser display.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the server to perform the method of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         19 . A method performed by a server having a processor and a memory, the method comprising:
 receiving from a computing device a first request in an HTTP session and associated with a first Web browser window displayed by the computing device;   storing first state information for first content of the first Web browser window, the first state information defining a configuration of the first content;   in response to receiving the first request, generating data for the first Web browser window using the first stored state information and outputting the generated data for the first Web browser window to the computing device;   receiving from the computing device a second request in the same HTTP session and associated with a second Web browser window, the second Web browser window being different from the first Web browser window, wherein the second request is received in response to a user selection of a URL-encoded element on the first Web browser window;   storing second state information for second content of the second Web browser window, the second state information defining a configuration of the second content; and   in response to receiving the second request, generating data for the second Web browser window using the second stored state information and outputting the generated data for the second Web browser window to the computing device.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the server to perform the method of  claim 19 .